Go: Secret Cinema, Star Wars

Last weekend I was lucky enough to be offered free tickets to go down to Secret Cinema: Star Wars.
Having never even watched Star Wars (any, ever!) I was worried I wouldn't relate or enjoy the experience, but I was so wrong! Secret Cinema specialise in 'immersive cinema experience' often in a themed location that ticket holders find out about last minute, and sometimes with live interaction elements. Last year's 'Back To The Future' screenings occupied the whole of the Olympic Park in East London which was transformed into Hill Valley. I thoroughly enjoyed the screening of 'Empire Strikes Back', but not as much as the epic world Secret Cinema have created.

I can't give too much away, what with it being secret and all, but when you register you are given a rebel identity, complete with costume information and items to bring along, As soon as you arrive, actors are ushering you along and the unwavering commitment to the story and world that you now inhabit really helps set the tone. Inside it's well worth talking to everyone from security to stall holders and stopping in on as many interactive scenes as you can. I will say my friend and I sneaked, bartered and hustled our way all over the sprawling and authentic set. Unfortunately your phones and any cameras are sealed up pretty soon on arrival and we all signed contracts to say we wouldn't reveal the nature of anything from sets to missions...so these were pictures from before we went inside.

Dress up if you can! People really do go all out as you can see from the above pic. My friend and I felt decidedly underdressed. My Princess Leia style buns were a nod...and the scarves were absolutely pivotal. Also try the halloumi fries with pomegranate molasses and seeds. I literally don't know why you can't get these everywhere!

Secret Cinema: Star Wars opens to the public today and runs until September the 27th.

Watch: A Streetcar Named Desire ~ National Theatre Live

At the weekend I watched a play at the cinema. Yep, not a film, a play. Lemme explain.
A Streetcar Named Desire, the seminal Tennessee Williams play became the fastest selling production in The Young Vic's history earlier this year...meaning I could not get my hands on tickets for love nor money. I was pretty devastated...I tweeted for help. I mentioned it to anyone I could. I even begged an actor I kinda-sorta know who was in the production. All roads led to nada.

So I was pretty bloody chuffed with myself when I began to hear more and more about National Theatre Live, mostly through the power of social media, which is actualy an invaluable tool when it comes to staying in the loop about the arts, which is less publicised than it ought to be, but that's another blog post. Basically National Theatre Live is a pretty incredible project of the National's: it broadcasts "the best of British theatre live to cinemas across the UK and around the world". Pretty awesome. The broadcasts have now been seen by over 3.5 million people in over 1,100 venues around the world, 550 of which are in the UK alone. Live broadcasts are filmed with the theatre audience present, with cameras dotted about the auditorium to get the best possible views. Satellites allow the production to be shown without delay, or they can be viewed later (for those that missed out like me). Past National productions have included The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime, War Horse and Danny Boyle's King Lear as well as productions from other theatres like Coriolanus at the Donmar Warehouse and of course, The Young Vic's A Streetcar Named Desire.

Directed by Benedict Andrews, Williams' play set in New Orleans about the collapsing world of Southern Belle Blanche du Bois, when she visits her sister Stella and her new husband Stanley Kowalski. With a modern spin by way of costume and literal spin of the slowly spinning set in the centre of the auditorium (the play was performed in the round), the sticky heat of the French Quarter and powder keg of emotions are played out with incredible tension. Not really knowing much of Gillian Anderson's work other than the X Files, I was blown away by her performance of delicate, fading dame Blanche. Vanessa Kirby was great as Stella and Ben Foster was a study in brutal force and testosterone laden manly scariness...the acting was supreme.

Watching a play at the cinema was odd but in a good way; we could see up close the distress in Anderson's eyes, Fosters' disdain through a curled lip, which is something you don't usually get to witness so closely in big theatres. Obviously, the cinema is not quite the same experience, but in some ways the palpable tension on stage and also with the stage audience, who the cinema audience get to see, translated back into the cinema. We were riveted.
It was almost revolutionary to me, being able to pop along to my local Wandsworth cinema (which was PACKED and in a huge screen) and see the magic of a stage performance. I'd recommend it to anyone who can't get along to the theatre, or like me, just can't get hold of any tickets.

Grease is the Word! - Drive-In Film Club

Why don't we have more drive-in cinemas in London? One even features in Grease which is set in the 1950's yet they are so rare over here. Probably down to our dodgy weather I know, but the sultry weather we've been having lately suits them perfectly.

This week I went a long to the first night of the summertime run of the Drive-In Film Club, by the people at Experience Cinema and what could be a better opening night film than Grease? Grease the Sing-a-Long!

Situated in the south car park at Brent Cross Shopping Centre in North/West London, we got a little lost trying to find it at first but it is really well signed once you get into the (wrong) car park and we were able to follow the signs there. It's not a hugely glamourous affair but who needs glamour when you're being so all American, watching a movie with a pal or a partner - in your car!

We pulled up and showed our e-ticket (it's £22 per car regardless of the number of occupants) and were given a handout with some info about the night including the frequency we would need to tune into to hear the film in the car. We checked out a couple of vendors selling hot-dogs and popcorn as well as the toilet cabin, before being shown to our parking space. We'd arrived just before the film started so the car park was pretty busy already. After a quick announcement over the PA, we joined Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and the gang at Rydell High, singing along to the lyrics that appeared on the screen.

It was a balmy night so there were cars with their tops down and there was a lovely vibe, people all singing along and swaying their hands in the air to 'Hopelessly Devoted'.
Waiters and waitresses on rollerskates are also on hand to deliver sweets, drinks and popcorn to your car if you give them a flash of your headlights to catch their attention!
There didn't seem to be any rule against bringing your own goodies either, so we had a few of those in my car. We watched, sang a long and generally had a great night.
Sing with me now "We will alwayyyyyyys...be togetherrrrrr"

The Drive-In Film Club is at Brent Cross until the 9th august and will be showing classics like Top Gun and Dirty Dancing, Ryan Gosling overload with both Drive and The Notebook and newer films like Locke starring Tom Hardy and Her with Joaquin Phoenix, both of which I'm pretty desperate to see as I missed them at the cinema. Just gotta persuade the Boy now...

Out at Clapham Rocky Horror Picture Show screening

Out At Clapham and Wandsworth LGBT Forum present a special Pride screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Clapham Picture House on Friday 27^th June….so get ready for some audience participation!

There will be DJ’s and partying a plenty in the bar from 10pm and then the film begins at midnight, with Myra Dubois as MC for the night. Expect things to get pretty raucous!

The Wandsworth LGBT Forum and Clapham Picturehouse recently formed Out At Clapham, a monthly LGBT film club that screen films that look at LGBT issues and celebrate our varied community. Check them out here.

Written for LGBT Jigsaw