Secret Cinema: Shawshank Redemption
Secret cinema is something insanely close to my heart. They have exposed me to the cool, crazy things you can do in London town.
I first came into contact with the crew in November 2012, and since then have become infatuated with their work. Haven’t you ever wanted to be in a film? Not an actor, but REALLY part of it? Seriously, you’ve never dreamt of whacking out you wand at Hogwarts or schmoozing with 007? If the answer is no I think your fibbing, and if the answer is yes then those dreams can become reality.
So in order to persuade you folks to nab tickets as soon as they come on sale (actually rather hard, they go as fast as a stripe assed ape), and in light if their recent Ghostbusters success, I’m going to tell you some of my Secret Cinema tales
Once upon a time there were two girls called to court………
Take 1: The Shawshank Experience.
From recommendation of the Cally Pool triathlon club, my mate Lon and I ordered these Secret Cinema tickets online without really knowing what to expect.
Best spontaneous exchange of money ever!
Upon purchase we received and email providing us with our new identity. I was Jonathan Hensley, Therapist from Bethanna and Lon was Hollis Garroway, Nurse from Humboldt. They specified our attire (suit up!), along with the time and place of our court hearing.
So one Saturday afternoon at 4.30pm we headed to Bethnal Green library. Worrying we wouldn’t know where we were going was redundant when we reached the tube and followed the hordes of suited and booted folks all heading in the same direction. Armed with our papers we entered into a meeting with our lawyer.
After unfortunately losing our case (I went down for battery, and then added sentence for laughing at the judge with my hands in my pockets, Lon perverted the course of justice) we were taken out behind the building and lined up, before being marched onto a blacked out bus one behind the other (the humour was really good, quite PI, one bald guy acquired the nickname ‘Bollard’ ). The officer told us what to expect (a bigger bum hole apparently) and the offer of whisky was constantly on the table.
Upon arrival at the prison (I’m pretty sure it was an old school) we were herded into the gym, where we stripped down to our tighty whiteys and had to bundle our effects into a bag. We were told basically anything you wanted to keep, stuff in your pants. Sorry did I say told? I meant ordered! At this point I had to make the tough decision between a double decker and my phone. The double decker won and took pride of place in my thankfully roomy Primark bra! One girl was less fortunate, as when they screamed “Hands on your head” a stashed bottle of Jager fell out of her bra, and was followed by an awkward silence. Let’s just say she received a good bollocking
This is where the acting started to really get good. I was stubborn and stared down anyone who told me not to look at them, which resulted in being yelled at by a prison officer and I think seduced by an inmate (I was renamed ‘hot sauce’ because he like to spread it all over stuff…..) who wiped his fingers across my face and informed me that’s what it would smell like on the inside. It sounds…….. weird but it was all hilarious, if you played along they interacted more with you.
So we were traipsed outside (yes in our undies) to our cells. Our inmate helped me tie my trousers in return for…….giving a note to a nurse we then headed to the dinner hall where we were offered hot dogs and burgers (after worrying all we’d be getting was beans!) in exchange for the library cards that Lon and I hadn’t bought as we had no cash. Doh! That basically was your money in there. Buuuut we were allowed to work for our food by clearing up, plus a shot of vodka each was poured into our mouth for our trouble!
Then we were given the run of the prison. There was so much going on, each room had a different activity, storyline or quest to fulfil (the nurse I delivered the note to gave me a shot of Sambuca!). The priests office offered redemption (not so much if you thought Noah’s story was the one of Noah and the Whale, and then promptly stole his prescription glasses….). The warden was very handy with a rope especially when Lon got out her phone, and when I got on his wrong side shoved me under a table and had to bark like a dog! One charming inmate asked me to type him a love letter, and while on a search for water one inmate (I’m not sure if he was acting or not) lead us up and down the stairs for about 15 mins looking decidedly lost before deciding taking us to the control room!
After a couple of hours (seemed like 5 mins!) a chap got shot outside, and we were all ushered into a room where riots broke out and singing began. I unfortunately was not granted parole (probably due to the defiant staring and kleptomatic tendencies) and neither was Lon. We were then filed outside, with hands ordered above our heads into what looked like a gym (oh and the wardens shoe fell out of my jacket while walking, which took a bit of explaining….) and all sat down. Then the film began playing on a massive old school projector jobby, with intermittent shouts or cheers from the other ‘prisoners’
Sadly my chocolate bar didn’t make it (would have been drinking it through a straw). So has gone to the big chocolate factory in the sky.
Apart from that pretty big blow, the film itself is super groovy, and Secret Cinema just took it to a new interactive high, literally the best evening I’ve had in London. The actors kept in character all the way through, even hoping ‘never to see us back in here again’, our belongings were returned super quickly and when we re-dressed I even found my love letter guy!
As Lon and I headed home from some East London location on a surprisingly warm winter evening, we chatted away and realised Secret Cinema has us thoroughly hooked
Going again?
You betcha
Next time Casablanca
Secret Cinema have just finished a stint of Ghostbusters, and have left a cryptic message while we eagerly wait for their next event……..
‘I want to be with those who know secret things or else alone’
– Rilke
Secret Cinema. Tell no one.
Keep reading for more reviews
http://www.secretcinema.org/
Written by Aspen Glencross
Find out more about Aspen and find out how to follow her blog and social media updates here: http://oninonline.com/about-our-writers/
