Shhh... It's A Secret

The movie, the venue is all a secret. Obscure clues are released before hand about what movie is going to be shown. A theme is released and people attending the event dress up in the chosen theme which is related to the movie, this one was the 40's. A station is named where everyone gathers and then met by someone from the event and taken to the venue, which this time, was an old tobacco factory in Wapping. The closer we got to the station, the more people we saw in costume, giving each other knowing nods and thinking 'I know where you're going.' 

Inside the tabacco factory, the space has been made up to look like a 1940's London, a fish 'n' chip/pie place, vintage stalls, art installations, popcorn sold in the old fashioned stripy paper bags fastened with a wooden peg. And as everyone is in costume, it looks really good against the set. Actors mingle with the crowds, getting people involved, dancing, limbo, playing music, dancing, all related to the movie, which I still hadn't a clue what it was.

After all the performances and mingling around, the actors start directing people up to the screening rooms. This round of Secret Cinema is showing The Red Shoes, a story about a young ballerina who is forced to choose between her passion for dance and the man she falls in love with. Made in the late 40's, the movie is over two hours long and parts of it feel almost comical. I wasn't expecting the ending, seemed a little extreme, but I get the symbolism.

Interactive art

After I'd seen the movie, the performances, costumes and installations before the movie, all made sense and pulled everything together. It is a really well organised evening, the sets looks really good and there is so much to see as well as the movie, plus all the added fun of not knowing where you're going.

Tobacco Factory in Wapping

Wendover

Now that I commute to Amersham everyday, I pass though a few little villages in the Home Counties. Wendover is the last one before I hit Amersham. I met Marc for a little stroll in Wendover Woods, parking in the car park is not free, £1.50 for up to two hours, bring change, there isn't much service there to do the pay by phone thing as Marc and I discovered.

Wondering around in the woods

After walking up an appetite, we moseyed on down to the town to find a pub for a Sunday lunch. We settled on The Village Gate. Originally, I chose the pork, but it came out too fatty and thanks to Marc being the assertive Londoner asked to change it to the beef, a much better choice. I liked this one as they use local meat and veg, ever since watching Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall's Chicken Out! and Fish Fight campaigns, I've been a lot more conscious about what I choose on a menu when eating out. If you are what you eat, I'd rather be a free range, sustainably caught piece of meat rather than a battery farmed one.

We had dessert in Rumsey's Chocolaterie where they make their own chocolates, I splashed out on calories on got a six piece selection from the chocolate counter. Needless to say it was very indulgent and simply scrumptious!

Tea and home made chcolates in Rumsey's