Pioneers of popular immersive cinema experiences, Secret Cinema, today added a Secret Hotel element to the event, letting moviegoers stay on at themed mystery lodgings complete with staff in character
Immersive theatre and cinema experiences are all the rage ... thanks to pioneering companies Punchdrunk and Secret Cinema. More recently the likes of the Experimental Food Society and Poietic have created immersive restaurants that turn dining out into a theatrical experience (levitating canapés, anyone?). So, it was only a matter of time before some clever clogs came up with the concept of immersive, or theatrical, accommodation. Welcome to the Secret Hotel.
Tickets went on sale today at 1pm for an overnight experience created by the founders of the hugely popular Secret Cinema – the Secret Hotel gives audience members the chance to become guests at a curated themed "hotel" inspired by the film they've just watched.
As you would expect, the Secret Hotel is shrouded in mystery. All we know is that it's somewhere in central London and that of the 450 or so people per night attending the film experience this autumn, 80 will stay at the hotel. The only other hint as to what the hotel might be like is in the price: tickets cost £30 per person.
In other words – you won't be sleeping in a king-size four-poster. Beds will be in dorm rooms for up to six people, and breakfast, we assume, will be basic. "The most important thing is that it will be an experience ... the building and the staff will be in full character," says Fabien Riggall, creative director and founder Future Cinema, creators of Secret Cinema.
On the face of it paying in advance for a hotel in an unknown location doesn't sound that appealing. But Riggall says the hotel concept is a natural extension of the film events, another way of injecting some excitement and spontaneity into a familiar experience. "Life's become a bit mundane ... we wanted to create something adventurous and fun."
• Secret Hotel (secretcinema.org/hotel.html) will be available four nights a week (Thurs-Sunday) from 31 October-2 December