Secret Cinema: Swapping popcorn for theatre

Allāhu Akbar…

As the call to prayer resounded through the palace, large groups of pilgrims trudged their way up the gardens, lugging large sacks containing their worldly belongings. They were militantly herded up the hills by their leaders on horseback and held back if they didn’t show enough enthusiasm for their tribes. Meanwhile, up on the terrace, khaki-clad officials with pencil moustaches mused over what the barbarians might be doing.

Every cinema should have one... Photo courtesy of Secret Cinema

Not, perhaps, the most typical sight to greet you on a night out at the cinema. In fact, if the person in the ticket office at your local cinema is dressed up like someone in the British Army circa 1917, something isn’t quite right. On this balmy September weekend however, it was all part of the madness of Secret Cinema.

Secret Cinema started a couple of years ago, screening films in unusual places, like disused railway tunnels, in London and Bristol. Since then, Secret Cinema events have grown both in scope and numbers. September’s event was a screening of Lawrence of Arabia. Two weeks before the event, ticket-holders (who were not told what the film was) were emailed with details of how they should dress – bedouin. A week before, they were emailed a meeting place – Alexandra Palace station.

Dressing for the part

So it was that thousands filtered into the Victorian-era building to be greeted by officers at typewriters, enlisting people for the Camel Corps. Before the film started, film-goers had the opportunity to barter in the souk, enjoy some belly-dancing, get a drink from a bartender in a fez, grab some food from the stalls and generally soak up the bedouin vibe. As the dark drew in, “tribe members” (the audience) were invited to spread their rugs in front of the huge screen. As people settled, a camel walked in with a real-life Lawrence atop. He gave a rabble-rousing speech and confirmed suspicions that David Lean’s four hour epic was the reason why, as one audience member noted, the place looked like a scene from Monty Python’s The Life of Brian.

Packed out audiences at Alexandra Palace. Photo courtesy of Secret Cinema

Secret Cinema audiences are an enthusiastic lot and each famous scene garnered cheers and applause. As the credits rolled and the soundtrack soared, we gathered our rugs and made our way back to the 21st Century. The general feeling was that we’d had an entertaining theatrical experience, rather than a trip to the cinema. Some who went on the Friday complained that there were enormous queues for food because everyone had come straight from work, but there wasn’t a problem on Saturday because the event started earlier, so we had plenty of time to mosey round all the food and drink stalls.

The tickets, at £27.50, were pricier than a trip to the local Odeon, but we did get a whole day of middle-eastern joy out of it. It was like being allowed to watch a film on the film set in your own fancy dress and I’d thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants a little more than two hours in a sterile cinema.

The tagline may be “Tell no-one”, but the secret is out and if you want to be part of the next gathering, join the Facebook Group or sign up at www.secretcinema.org. When you find out the location, plan your journey carefully: when Lawrence of Arabia was screened, many were seen wandering around London train stations, draped in bedsheets and looking confused.