Went to a really interesting theatre experience today,
Grimm Tales at the Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf. I'm very familiar with the area as I used to work right next to the Oxo Tower, but when I was there they were just beginning to redevelop the Tower and other buildings and I don't think the Bargehouse was in use yet. It's an old warehouse (originally a bargehouse), and they have transformed the space into an immersive theatre set. There are a number of different large rooms, over 5 floors or so, connected by a large central hall with stairwell and two other stairwells - one at either end of the building. The performance consists of six separate "tales" from the Philip Pullman re-telling of Grimm's Tales, of which you get to watch five. There were three different groups of audience members watching at any one time, in the different spaces, and between the tales, you moved around through the building to the next space. Some of the spaces were used more than once, with the set altered somewhat between. The players worked in groups of 5 or 6 per tale, sharing the narration and acting between them, sometimes with puppets as well. No photography was allowed during the performances, but afterwards, they let everyone roam around and explore the whole space; if I'd known, I'd have taken my camera. Instead, some pretty bad photos from my phone.
All of the spaces were pretty dimly lit - many with loads of dangly lightbulbs from the ceiling - but some with other things. Everything seemed only sort of half built, and the props were both really creative and quite minimal at the same time.
This was taken in one of the stairwells, which was covered with different size mirrors - the dresses shown are reflected in the mirror, and are hanging in the centre well of the stairwell.
There were several areas set up as bars, for the pre-show time and the interval, and they had lots of hidden goodies - like loads of these bright red apples hidden about.
I quilt spotted a couple of pieces in one of the sets - you actually sat on benches along the sides of the rooms, but were very close to the action.
Here's Alex having his picture taken in the cage from the Hansel and Gretel story...
...these bird cages, some with dolls in, were also from the Hansel and Gretel set.
This picture frame was from the set of the one story we didn't get to see, but we did see a different story in this room, when the set was arranged a little differently.
The moon and birch trees were in one of the bar areas.
The stairwells were covered in interesting old pictures, many of them altered in some way, like the snake added into this drawing of two fashionable ladies.
We then walked back to Waterloo station along the river (we went to the matinee, but by the time it finished, it was full dark), admiring the London lights.
I do love London...
