Jo and I left Kettering in plenty of time heading for this unique experience in London. Our expectations were high, as we’d both read (and heard) some excellent reviews. Our destination was to be just another ordinary looking building in London (actually The Old Metal Exchange) located in Leadenhall Street, where Jeff Wayne, in conjunction with immersive theatre company dotdotdot, and Director, Carl Guyenmette, had collaborated to create a truly ground-breaking form of entertainment.
It includes live performance, multi-sensory elements, immersive technologies (VR and AR), Holograms and Full-Dome Planetariums (naturally!) to recreate an authentic Victorian England at the time of HG Wells’ 1898 novel.
Jeff Wayne’s two-disc debut album was released on 9 June, 1978. A concept album, rock-opera in style, featured the voice of Richard Burton (in the UK version and Anthony Quinn, Teófilo Martínez, and Curd Jürgens across the water) together with the singing talents of Justin Hayward (of The Moody Blues), Chris Thompson (of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band), Phil Lynott (of Thin Lizzy), Julie Covington (of Evita and Rock Follies), and David Essex (Evita, The China Plates). The Album went on to become the 32nd best-seller of all-time in the UK and spawned a number of remix Albums and a ‘New Generation’ studio-production in 2011. And not just Albums, Jeff Wayne went on to produce a Live Tour, contribute to a Video Game and created a Music-DVD based on the source material.
We arrived in good time, and once inside exterior and interior contrast became obvious – cue: one martial Fighting Machine, front and centre! After checking-in and depositing our valuables in the provided lockers, we settled down in the themed Bar waiting for our pre-booked the 5.20 ‘performance’.
On the dot of 5.20, blue smoke was pumped from the ceiling indicating that ‘Group Blue’ (us!) should assemble. From that point, we’d been reminded that photography wasn’t allowed, so we snapped our last selfie and with our nine new BFFs, we nervously took up our positions…
Although the reviews online had all been very positive, there was very little detail about what we were actually about to experience – so I guess that added to the heightened thrill and anticipation of it all. I’m going to maintain that tradition – NO Spoiler Alert – and keep it all ‘very general’ about what followed…
Official Trailer
7.15pm: The Verdict
For the next two hours, we were frightened, excited, confused and gob-smacked – and we’ve both worked in food retail! If jaw-dropping was an Olympic sport, we’d have been in top spot on the podium! Our motley crew had held hands, slid down slides, climbed through holes in walls, confessed our sins, watched a whole Army Battalion wiped out by a Martian heat-ray, taken a boat -trip along the Thames, flown in a hot-air balloon, and sung a song to raise our spirits.
For some, it was maybe just another Friday-night in London… but for us, it had been something much more than the sum of its parts… Fantastic, just fantastic!
Every one of our senses had been engaged from the very start – a truly immersive experience! Wow! 👍
7.25: Oooooo Laaa!
From the incredible level of imagination and attention-to-detail that had gone into the story-boarding, the set design and the costumes, it had been a once-in-a-lifetime experience – and I don’t say that too often!! We both agreed it had been a thoroughly entertaining evening, with the thrill-level completely off the scale! We think we’re unlikely to experience anything quite so engaging any time soon, and couldn’t stop talking about it on the way home. We found it impossible to identify a ‘best bit’ – as it ALL was! Congratulations to all those who made this happen!
Go see before all the tickets are sold and ends its limited run! 😉😉
If you fancy some of the same,book your ticketsHERE
I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!
I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!
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