Show: Symphony to a Lost Generation

Today's Meetup offering was a bit different - a completely holographic show, as advertised by the Arts, Culture and Alternative Events Group. World premiere. Also my first time with this group - although I've been a member for a while - and my first time in this venue. Gratifyingly, they offered a discount to Meetup members: quite a generous one, too!

The venue was LSO St. Luke's, a deconsecrated church in Islington. Google Maps informed me that I'd have to get the Northern Line from Clapham North (with its famously narrow platform) to Old Street, and walk from there - Streetview showed my way to lead me past a black, monolithic building that resembled the one in 2001: A Space Odyssey. To get to Clapham North, I could take a bus or the Overground - which costs the same as a bus off-peak, but without the potential traffic delays: so that's what I decided to do.

The Overground took me to Clapham High Street - from there, take a left to the main road, then left under the bridge, and Clapham North is on your right. Apparently, Oyster regards interchanges between these stations as a continuation of the same journey. Which is handy. In the Tube station, I was just in time for a train, which I hopped on. I was conscious that the Northern Line splits, one line going via Bank and one via Charing Cross, and that I wanted the Bank branch - but it turns out I needn't have worried; apart from at peak times, all trains from south of Kennington (including Clapham North) run via Bank.

Exiting at Old Street was great fun. There are four different subway exits - and a map, which shows where each leads. And after I ascertained that I wanted Subway 4, I had to retrace my steps to see which it was! Mind you, had I just looked straight ahead, I'd have seen the arrow pointing to Clerkenwell and St. Luke's.. Anyway, I headed out that way, and was immediately confused. My black monolith was covered in white sheeting! Dithered a bit, crossed the road and then crossed back again when I realised I was right the first time. So I carried on down the road, at a fair pace given that it was nearly time.

It hardly took any time to get there, anyway, and I scurried in the gate - dubiously, because it looked quite deserted. No people, no open doors even.. I'd advanced a bit when I noticed a sign for the performance, to the left; sure enough, that marked the entrance, and I scurried over there and got my ticket. Inside is, basically, a large empty space, which they'd filled with rows of chairs - I made my way to the second row from the front, where I'd booked a seat.

There was, as usual, no arrangement to meet the group - the organiser turned out to be the producer of the show, and did offer to meet people beforehand, but I was a bit late for that. It did occur to me - too late - that I could've let people in the group know where I was sitting, in case they wanted to come say hi. Anyway, the seat was nice and comfy, and despite the front row having shown on the website as sold out, there was no-one in front of me, no-one directly behind me, no-one in most of my row. Plenty of room, then!

The holograms are displayed on a 3D stage, hidden at the start behind a heavy black curtain, which is raised - and lowered and raised again at the interval - by two guys on the balcony. The show itself - Symphony to a Lost Generation - deals with the tragic loss of life in the First World War (of course, this is the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, among other things), and I've seen a ballet version previously. Well, something similar, anyway.

The holographic effect is interesting - kind of like 3D cinema, without the need for glasses. The fact that the characters are slightly suspended above stage level is occasionally disconcerting, and is one of the reasons that it would probably be better to sit a bit further back than I did, to get the proper effect. Similarly, I was sat to the side, which meant that some of the angles were off.

However, this didn't detract from what is a poignant story - showing us both the terror of zeppelins, of bombings, of vast destruction - and also the very human story of people who enlisted to participate in a great adventure, only to find themselves in a situation more horrific than they could ever have imagined. As well as those who were killed, we see something of what happened to those who were not - and that's more horrifying still. Beautiful, horrifying, moving - a memorable experience, the more so I find as more time passes since I saw it. Yes, I think I'd recommend this - two shows tomorrow (Monday), one on Tuesday evening, if you're interested. And I saw the composer / director come out at the interval to chat to the folks in the front row - which might be reserved for friends.

And so briskly back to the station, in a cold breeze, and with me bravely not having bothered with a coat. When I got back to Clapham High Street, I nearly missed my turn - it's not easily visible from the road. But I saw the Railway Tavern on the corner and figured it must be around there somewhere. And a helpful sign at Clapham North had said that Clapham High Street Station was on Voltaire Road - well, there I was.

When I made my way up to the station, however, confusion reigned - turned out it was shut, as no trains were running between Clapham Junction and Surrey Quays because of a broken-down train. So hey, I ended up on a bus after all - a check of the conveniently located bus map (right by the station entrance) told me I needed the 345, and where to go to catch it. One arrived not too long after I did - thankfully, because of the biting wind. Our wait was made a little longer, however, by the driver's refusal to open the front door to let passengers on until all passengers that were disembarking had done so. Same principle as on the Tube, of course, but the first time I've seen it on buses..

Well, tomorrow is another film. Handily, I already had the film list done for this week - just had to check ratings, which took long enough! And what finally came out top was a Hindi film called Sarbjit - the true story of a man arrested while crossing the India Pakistan border in Punjab one night, a bit drunk, and accused of being a spy. And his beloved sister's 20-year battle to free him. Looks good - unfortunately, it's no longer showing in my local cinema; in fact, the closest place showing it tomorrow is Cineworld Feltham! Well, you know what? The adjacent car park is, apparently, free from 7am to 7pm, and the drive looks easy enough. I've printed off directions - so off I go to the lunchtime showing tomorrow! (It's a bank holiday.) Jeez, that's three matinees in a row..