Last weekend was held the eighth Secret Cinema event at the Alexander Palace in North London. It is an event based around bringing a chosen film’s character, setting and storyline to life. Having booked a ticket for this event a while back, I received an email from the Secret Cinema team, directing us on the dress code. We were expected to wear Bedouin/Arabic fancy dresses, apparently picked from a movie, which remained a ‘secret’ until I arrived to the place.
The Secret Cinema experience had already begun as we were walking towards Alexander Palace. There were Arabic signs posted up on trees and walls showing us our way. First, we were greeted by two American photographers dressed in the 1920′s and were using an old style box camera similar to a Hasselblad. They were actors giving information in regards to the events unfolding in Arabia.
Further up Arabic/Bedouin tribal people dressed up in different colours according to their Tribes, also approached us. They were asking in heavy accents which tribes we were from and whether we were traveling to the magical city of ‘Damascus’. As the film is never announced until the actual screening, it was the first point in which my friends and I realized that we were about to watch ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.
The themes of the film became more apparent as we reached closer to the venue. British Army officer’s in old uniforms were directing people to Alexander Palace and were asking people to “hurry on” in very traditional style and old English accents. Herds’ men who were grazing camels, sheep and horses along the way continued greeting us.
As we finally entered the Palace, sets from the movie were also reenacted for us making the experience more realistic. Old British Army desks and forms, old style telephones and typewriters were scattered around. In the next area, an Arabian market place was recreated with spice merchants, food stalls, belly dancers and live Arabic music performances taking place.
Having soaked up the atmosphere, everyone began to take seats in the large screening area. As the majority of people had taken up a spot on the floor an actor playing Lawrence rode into the room on a camel and played out a scene from the film along with a few other actors. This really seemed to gear up the crowds for the coming show as well all sat in for a journey of our own with Lawrence of Arabia in Damascus.
Overall, this event seemed to be gaining massive follow-ups and clearly it has the potential to become bigger.
