The Gunpowder Plot, Tower Hill Vaults, London - Review

The Gunpowder Plot is the latest immersive experience from Layered Reality, the award-winning producers of the Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience which I went to (and loved) in 2019.

The experience integrates immersive theatre and virtual reality. Guests can expect to join live actors on an adventure back in time to 1605 as you travel across London and participate in the Gunpowder Plot itself. Multi-sensory special effects, three interludes on virtual reality, and a labyrinthine set combine to deliver a fun, educational and immersive experience.

We had a lot of fun at The Gunpowder Plot. I'll tell you all about what worked and what didn't.

Remember, remember, the 5th of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot

The Gunpowder Plot

I had no idea what the Gunpowder Plot was actually about (note: I didn't go to school in the UK). I knew Guy Fawkes wanted to blow up parliament but I thought he was simply an anarchist. I didn't know it was about Catholic rebellion in the face of James I's brutal repression of the Catholic faith and that it's all linked to the time from Henry VIII.

I learned about all of this on The Gunpowder Plot which was fascinating to me because I already make a habit of traipsing around England and photographing the ruins of dissolved monasteries. I loved the historical aspect of The Gunpowder Plot and am thirsty to learn more about that period in history.

The Immersive Experience

The immersive theatre aspect of the event was superb. I now know first hand what it feels like to breathlessly press your back against a wall to avoid detection from pursuers. The actors were all incredibly talented and each and every one of them drew us into the story, asked us questions and didn't call us out when we lied to them.

Special mention goes to Jess Darnell as the priest, Leda Douglas as Lady Cecil, Stanley Eldridge as Thomas and the wonderful Harriet Sharmini Smithers as Anne. We got to collaborate as a team, make a pretty significant decision and I'm glad to say that I was on the side of the majority.

The Virtual Reality

The only part of the experience that a bit hit and miss was the Virtual Reality. On the whole, it was a bit glitchy and blurry (and I say this as an experienced VR user who knows the usual tricks to stabilise the image). A lot has been made of the fact that Tom Felton is part of the digital cast but the quality of the VR was such that I wouldn't have recognised Tom in his role as Guy Fawkes if I didn't know it was him. The graphics were not as good as in Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience, and I expected more from Layered Reality.

Verdict

We really enjoyed The Gunpowder Plot but were disappointed by the VR interludes. I hope that they will work to improve this aspect of an otherwise excellent experience, because the actors, set and other visual displays were brilliant.

Tickets for The Gunpowder Plot are on sale now at gunpowderimmersive.com.

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Conversations with Nick Cave, Brighton Dome, 29 June 2019

I went to see Conversations with Nick Cave at Brighton Done last night. It was an intimate event, with Nick Cave sharing such painful, private things, that it feels almost wrong to share what was said and discussed. I would like to record that I was there though and to note that it was a life-affirming, powerful evening that is playing over and over in my mind. I am never surprised when Nick Cave does something that makes me love him more than I already did and last night was no exception. My heart swells.

There was one question and answer that I would like to share because it went a long way to explaining what Cave is doing and why he began talking to his fans on his blog The Red Hand Files and in his 'Conversations with' events. A member of the audience noted that Cave often responds with extraordinary empathy when speaking to fans and she asked whether he doesn't suffer from empathy overload.

Cave responded that following the death of his son Arthur, he received an outpouring of support from fans and members of the public via letter and email. These people didn't know him but often they would share their own stories of loss and grief. He mentioned that it had changed him and it had saved him. He realised that he wanted to give back, to share that empathy in some way.

Cave took a moment to distinguish between empathy and compassion and said that what people really need when they are grieving is compassion, that person who just makes cups of tea or simply sits and listens.

He said that he realised that we are all the same, that we might not be there now but we will all experience grief and devastation in our lives.

It struck me that this might be Nick Cave's finest hour, for out of his darkest moment he has taken the time to create something beautiful and illuminating, to lift people out of darkness. Which is exactly what he has been doing since I discovered him at age 15.

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Burn the Floor: Orchard Theatre, Dartford, 1 June 2019 - Review

I have a confession to make. I might be the only person on this island to have never seen an episode of Strictly Come Dancing which is crazy, because I love watching dance events. When I heard that Burn the Floor was coming to Dartford, lead by stars from Strictly Come Dancing, I rushed ahead and bought tickets because I knew my mum would love it. Little did I know that I would absolutely love it too.

Burn the Floor: Ballroom. Reinvented.

The aim of Burn the Floor is to revolutionise ballroom dancing and deliver to audiences a high-voltage dance experience featuring jaw-dropping choreography and cutting edge dance moves. The show features just about every kind of dance move possible, including Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Cha Cha, Samba and Jive.

Burn the Floor is embarking on a tour of UK and South Africa this year with a stop at the Sydney Opera House but audiences in the UK are especially lucky because our shows feature none other than Kevin Clifton, winner of last year's Strictly Come Dancing and fellow SCD dancers Graziano Di Prima and Johannes Radebe.

And boy, were we lucky. Like I said, I arrived last night without the faintest Scooby who Kevin Clifton, Graziano Di Prima and Johannes Radebe were but after last night, I'm ready to declare my undying love for each one of them and all the dancers, singers and musicians on stage. My only problem with the show was that it had to end. I was not ready for that.

The magic of Burn the Floor is that it was so intimate. We learned very quickly that Kevin Clifton was Kevin from Grimsby who won Strictly but we also learned all about the history of the show, how it saved Kevin's life (or at least his love of dance) and how it paved the way for his appearance in Strictly. We also heard from Johannes about his trials growing up in South Africa amidst the stigma and bullying and how a one-line email changed his life forever. Graziano also spoke about his journey and how he came to meet the love of his life who is now his fiancée.

Woven in between the words and stories was some of the most incredible and breathtaking dancing I've ever seen. I loved the show from start to finish but there were some absolute highlights for me.

• Johannes Radebe: yes, I'm biased by the fact that Jo is South African but man, he is also graceful and beautiful. I was utterly transfixed every time he was on stage. What an incredibly talented human being. I'm now going to watch Strictly Come Dancing in future to ensure that he becomes one of the partnered dancers.
• Kevin performing and dancing to "Mr Bojangles", featuring stunning footwork and choreography
• "Hallelujah" and "O Fortuna"
• "I'm Only Human After All": watching this performance was life changing for me. For one, I'm currently listening to my new-favourite-song by John "The Ragin Cajun" Jones for the 10th 11th time since last night but it's more than just an ear worm. It's something Kevin said earlier in the evening - dance can be so powerful, conveying the most intricate storylines and emotions on stage - I felt this to my core during this performance, it was so good.

Sadly, there are only a handful of performances left on the UK tour and as I write this, there are less than a handful of tickets available. Perhaps we could all fly to South Africa and see the show there?

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Her’s Memorial Event to be Held in Liverpool’s Bombed Out Church in June

Friends and family of Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading, known as the band Her’s, have arranged a memorial event in their honour.

Friends of Her’s will take place on Sunday 16th June at The Bombed Out Church in Liverpool. The event will include DJ sets from the likes of The Orielles, Happyness, Brad Stank and Pizzagirl; an exhibition from official band photographers; and a presentation of the band’s artwork. In addition, there will be exclusive video screenings, street food and bars.

All proceeds from the event will go towards the organisation of workshops and projects in support of the local homeless community, based at St Luke’s (Bombed Out Church). Particular focus will be placed on the use of music and the arts as a means of rehabilitation. This ongoing series will be run as part of Stephen and Audun’s legacy, testament to their immense enthusiasm for music and the well-being of others.

“Whilst we continue to feel devastated by the loss of our friends, it was very clear from the outpouring of love for them that there should be an event to celebrate their lives and the amazing music they brought to the world”,say their label Heist or Hit. “Stephen and Audun were always very humble and particularly loved house parties with friends. We hope that, in addition to the official event on 16th June, fans of Her’s throughout the world will gain some comfort by holding house parties of their own on the same day.”

Fans from around the world are encouraged to throw their own ‘Friends of Her’s’ parties on the same night to pay tribute in whichever way they see fit, and share their events on social media using the hashtag #friendsofhers.

In addition, an arresting and poignant video for their track ‘She Needs Him’ has been posthumously released today. In December 2018, the band began working with French motion designer and illustrator Sébastien Séjourné, creating an official video for the track from their 2018 debut album ‘Invitation to Her’s’. Mick, Martin and Patrick from the record label decided it felt right to complete the video as a tribute to the band and their fans.

A fund has already been established by the family of the band’s tour manager Trevor Engelbrektson. More details can be found here

‘Friends of Her’s’ will be held on Sunday 16th June at The Bombed Out Church in Liverpool. Tickets for the event go on sale tomorrow Wednesday 29th of May at 9am and can be purchased for £5.

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The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience, London - 10 Things to Expect (No Spoilers!)

Tonight was incredible because it was finally my chance to head over to Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience in Leadenhall Street, London for a night of steampunk excess and a fan extravaganza dedicated to Jeff Wayne’s seminal work.

If you’re a fan of the musical, you’re going to love this, a lot. You may also, at times, appear more terrified than other visitors. If you’re not a fan yet, I predict that you’ll love this immersive audio-visual experience so much that you may well end up buying a t-shirt in the gift shop afterwards.

And if you really haven’t heard of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds yet, it was a 1978 concept album based on the novel of the same name by H.G. Wells. Set in Victorian London, it tells the story of the Martian invasion of earth and features searing electric guitars and unmistakeable basslines. I’ve been a fan for 40 years.

The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience - Review

I have to admit, I don’t quite know how to express how much I enjoyed this event without spoiling it. In a sentence, I will say that it is very, very good and you should go see it whether you’re already a fan or soon to become one. Perhaps if I simply leave you with a list of what to expect on the night?

1. You’ll walk through Victorian London and see and hear Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of the War of the Worlds in ways you’ve never experienced it before
2. You’ll meet Ogilvy the astronomer who will confidently tell you that the chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one
3. Shortly after that, you’ll decide that standing in the front might not be the best idea after all. In fact, head straight to the back
   
4. You’ll realise that there is absolutely no reason to have anything on your person including phones and bags. Leave them all at the free coat check so that you can run about without worrying about them (but keep some money for the intermission bar)
5. You’ll have tea and biscuits in George Herbert’s house and learn the meaning of true terror
   
6. You’ll encounter a virtual Martian wasteland and will very much want to run as far away from the horror of your surroundings as possible. And you’ll think oh my god, please don’t let it touch me
   
7. You’ll take a journey through Forever Autumn and meet Thunderchild
8. You’ll take a much needed break at the Red Weed Bar. Definitely try out their signature cocktail.
9. You’ll experience absolute terror, again and you’ll learn that unlike in your nightmares, it seems you really can scream when you need to. Loudly.
   
10. You’ll start all over again in a brave new world before a breath-taking finale over Dead London
    

Details and tickets

Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience opens at London's Old Metal Exchange on 31 May 2019.

Address:
56 Leadenhall Street,
London,
EC3A 2BJ

Tickets:
From £49.50 adults / £39.50 children aged 12-15
Buy

Recommended attire:
Comfortable walking shoes as you'll be running, standing and crawling for 110 minutes. Leave jackets, phones and bags at the free coat check.

Disability and Accessibility information:
The venue will be arranging regular wheelchair accessible events. Please visit this link for all disability and accessibility information.

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Review: Marvel's Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. London

Last night was the sneak preview of Marvel's Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. at Excel London and it was a lot of fun. It was a typically wet and rainy November evening in London and it was good to get inside for a session of games, simulations and training to become a fully-fledged member of S.T.A.T.I.O.N. -  the Science Training and Tactical Intelligence Operative Network.

Our journey began in the Iron Man Engineering Bay where you got a chance to see how Iron Man’s suits have evolved over the years. This was definitely the biggest room with the most to see and do, as would match an man of Tony Stark’s ego. The biggest draw, as evidenced by the queues, was the simulated fight game where keen gamers could test what it would be like to fight inside the suit.

Up next was a visit to Bruce Banner’s lab featuring a model of Hulk’s giant hand and brain scans of the effects of transformation on Hulk’s brain. There was also the chance to try out several of Hulk’s actions which I had way too much fun doing. That definitely wasn’t me giggling away to myself when two other visitors walked in.

Next we were treated to the full set of intelligence relating to Captain America, complete with details about the science behind Steve Roger’s transformation into the Cap.

I got to sit on Captain America’s bespoke denim blue Harley Davidson which might have been my highlight of the evening. That bike is massive and is definitely bigger than the 50cc bikes I rode as a 16-year-old. I think I want one.

I tested my strength on one of the simulators and am pleased to announce that I wasn’t completely rubbish. I think I might have beaten Steve Rogers in an arm-wrestle before he joined the programme.

The files on each of the Avengers were really fascinating, even more so because as a fan you know this stuff and it was amusing to see the ‘official’ and objective take on the Avengers, their origins, power and abilities. Mostly it made me want to start watching all the films from the beginning again because I really need a reason to do so.

At the end of the hall was a section on intelligence gathered on Wakanda to date as well as real life samples of the heart-shaped herb (so pretty!) and the Black Panther’s helmet.

Emerging from our short visit to Wakanda was The Thor Observatory, dedicated to Thor Odinson, King of Asgard and son of Odin. I loved the sight of Thor’s armour as well as the life-sized image of Loki and was fascinated by the collision of science and fantasy in the discussion of the nine planets, wormholes and blackholes.

There was a Mjölnir simulator where I tested by worthiness and was horrified to learn that I could not lift Thor’s hammer. I like to tell myself that we’re just keeping up appearances and that I’m not really mortal.

There was a section dedicated to Hawkeye, Black Widow, Ant Man, Wasp and Falcon up next. I would have spent more time admiring the section on Hawkeye if it weren’t for the gigantic spider-sized ants running across the floor. I happen to like ants and spiders but have a cockroach phobia and those ants were a little too graphic for me!

Towards the end there was a whole room dedicated to nemeses with Dark Elves, Chitauri and Ultron artefacts, weapons and paraphernalia. I always did love the design of the Dark Elves.

Finally there was the Tesseract, which I could not help activating time and time again. In my defence, there was a panel clearing instructing people to touch their palm to it in order to activate it. I actually had to apologise to a very polite man because I think he’d been waiting for some time while I played.

So, do you need to be an Avengers fan to enjoy Marvel's Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N.? It definitely helps and if you’re a fan of Marvel like me, then you’ll have a lot of fun. But it’s not essential; when I was waiting in line to enter, there were two people behind me, one of whom was not a fan and didn’t know much about Marvel. I met him on the way out and he had really enjoyed himself, so much so that I expect he’ll be spending his weekend catching up on Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Marvel's Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. immersive attraction will run for a strictly limited time at ExCel London from 30 November 2018 to 31 March 2019.

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A Frightfully Good Evening at Screamland, Margate

I learned something about myself last night; when I’m extremely nervous, I emit a high-pitched giggle and this does not go down well with other terrified people around me. And if you’re at Screamland, Margate on an October night, chances are you’re very, very scared indeed. Dreamland’s annual Halloween scare fest is back for the fourth year and it is bloody brilliant.

The Screamland ticket features entry seven scare mazes plus unlimited rides. We wanted to visit all seven mazes and made sure we were there at 6pm sharp. Our first maze was Screamland’s Sleep Experiment which featured a sleep deprivation experiment gone wrong in a psychiatric facility. This is where my insane giggling started and my only complaint was that we went through far too quickly. By the time we went through our second maze, we’d learned to take it slowly and savour the scares.

Festino’s Funhouse was up next and I thought this was one of the best designed mazes in terms of props and makeup. Just a warning, don’t go into this maze if you have a clown phobia; I love clowns and it creeped me out. The Upside Down was next, with a definite nod to Stranger Things and my so-called friend made me go first!

After a stint on the rollercoaster where I exercised my scream function, we headed off to the Punch & Judy Horror Show. This was the maze I was least looking forward to but the size of the queue going in should have given me a clue. It was scary and I’m not sure I can ever watch a Punch and Judy show again; those puppets were disturbing!

Next up was the double maze, Dead & Breakfast which lead into the Tunnels of Terror. This was a nice, long maze and it definitely got the better of us. At one point I was screaming to Maria, “you need to move, there’s someone behind us!” to which she replied, equally fraught, “I can’t! He’s still in front of me!” I know this is a spoiler but we did survive, just, and soon emerged back into the park with a bunch of belly laughs.

By the time we entered the final maze, HMS Mary Decomposed, our adrenalin was at its peak. Based on the infamous passenger liner the Mary Rose, this maze had the disturbing feeling of being under water. I think I was coming undone by the end because it wasn’t the props or scares that got to me but the actor standing right behind me and chuckling into my neck. It really creeped me out!

Finishing off our visit, we revisited our childhoods and took in some more of the rides. My favourite was the Dreamcatcher, a kind of vertical carousel that felt like flying in the moments when I wasn’t convinced I was going to fall out of my seat and die.

We loved Screamland and I have to extend a very big thank you to the actors and professional scarers. Every one of them was horrible, disturbing and authentic, staying in character whether we were giggling at them or screaming and running away from them. Many people have asked me why we’d go to a Halloween festival at all but it’s in the laughs and the exhilaration. There were definitely scary moments but we spent the whole two-hour train journey home laughing about it.

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Upcoming: The 2016 Norfolk & Norwich Festival

When you live in England with so many opportunities to travel to Europe and the rest of Britain, it is often necessary to adopt a policy of visiting places only once, to make the first visit count. For the most part I keep to this with the notable exception of two cities, Novi Sad and Norwich. I’ve visited Novi Sad twice and will no doubt be visiting there and other Balkan cities again in the future. On the other hand, I’ve only visited Norwich once, in the winter of 2011, and I’ve wanted to visit it again ever since. Coincidentally, Norwich and Novi Sad are twin cities – perhaps that adds to their enduring allure for me?

One of my worst habits as a supposedly frequent traveller is that I don’t plan ahead enough and often miss out on festivals and exhibitions because of it. Case in point, I’d been living in London for 8 years before I managed to catch the Open House weekend. Well, I’m proud to announce that I’ve finally made some plans and next weekend I’m heading over to Norwich for the annual Norfolk & Norwich Festival.

Taking place from 13-29 May 2016, the Norfolk & Norwich Festival is one of the UK’s longest-running and largest international arts festivals featuring film, dance, contemporary music and a host of other events. Norwich is England’s first UNESCO City of Literature and there are over 20 events dedicated to this including appearances by Irvine Welsh, Harry Leslie Smith and Linton Kwesi Johnson.

What To See at Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2016

If I’ve piqued your interest, may I whet your appetite by recommending a handful of events that you should look out for at the festival:

The Story Machine - Writers’ Centre Norwich, Dragon Hall, Sunday 15 May, 12.30pm & 7.30pm
An immersive literary event featuring live performances and choose-your-own-adventure experiences in the garden, cellars, halls and hideaways of the 15th century Dragon Hall.

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Tindersticks - The Waiting Room Cine-Concert, Sunday 22 May, 8pm
One of the seminal indie bands of the 1990s is returning with a live performance of their tenth studio album The Waiting Room accompanied by a specially commissioned film.

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La Chiva Gantiva – The Adnams Spiegeltent, Saturday 28 May,10pm
A musical ensemble founded by Columbian expats, La Chiva Gantiva is a Brussels-based group combining Columbian music, funk and rock to create carnivalesque melodies Definitely recommended for fans of Gogol Bordello.

What I’m Seeing at Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2016

As for me, I’m attending the following events and will be writing about them in much more detail over at Emm in London. Naturally, these are highly recommended because I chose them and I can’t wait to share my coverage of the events with you.

The Tempest – Great Yarmouth Hippodrome, Saturday 21 May, 8pm

Walk With Me – Felbrigg Hall, Saturday 21 May

Ragroof Tea Dance: Tops and Tails - The Adnams Spiegeltent, Sunday 22 May,1pm

Are you going to the Norfolk & Norwich Festival this year? Which acts are you catching?

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