Sounds and Sorcery Celebrating Disney’s Fantasia
The Vaults at Waterloo Station
The Vaults, a maze of old tunnels under Waterloo station. You start off by wandering down the dystopian splendor of Leake Street’s graffiti tunnel, then into a darkened doorway where the carefully crafted experience unfolds.
While not of ‘Shunt’ levels of immersive spaces the vaults were decorated in a good range of colourful spectacles, light projections and musical soundscapes, all linked together, sometimes loosely, by Fantasia. With a couple of live shows which form the main body of the performances. Although the Disney logo is part of the show, there’s not very much Disneyfication apparent throughout the event, ‘inspired by’ is perhaps a more honest title.
so…Inspired by Disney’s 1940 animated masterpiece ‘Fantasia’, this immersive performance of Sounds and Sorcery is celebrating the cartoon rather than anything else Disney, so make sure you’ve at least seen it before going, it will really help your enjoyment, expectations and the film is a seriously odd piece of work in itself.
There are lights and projections, smoke machines and waterfalls, flashing lights, thumping music, wobbly floors, projections and plenty of quirky spaces to explore and indulge in. Some of the rooms are worth exploring, with hidden parts, so try all the doors, and play with all the leavers.
My favourite rooms were the mermaid’s grotto, hidden up the stairs above the bubble waterfall room, simple, effective and hypnotic and the first room, a surreal meshing combination of Logan’s Run, Solent Green and Fantasia, with fractal images of instruments playing Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, superbly odd brainwashing and a very comfy way to start the evening off. It’s wandering-around-at-your-own-pace immersive, and sitting down occasionally to watch a staged performance piece, so nothing too taxing or alarming.
One of the shows is of silly and competitive dancers trying to out-do each other for the limelight in the Alice in Wonderland themed ballroom, another a recreation of the Sorcerers’ Apprentice with plenty of splashing and moody damp lighting in a dank Gothic space.
It’s certainly selfie heaven and we arrived a little late and very sober, two things not to be emulated. A few drinks would aid in enjoying the experience, that said there’s a bar with a superb range of ale and beers deep inside the vaults, with fluorescent gins and all sorts of grown up fun and it’s nice to sup a beer and wind huge illuminated clouds up and down over the audience.
Once you’re through the last themed room, a rather understated and lacking in mania ‘night on a bald mountain’ ,( with no scary monks parading thank heavens!) there’s another bar at the exit, which is filled with interactive art and comfortable seating.
There were some younger children at the event and I’m not sure if some of the darker themed spaces would suit, but that’s always a parental call, none of them seemed that bothered by the crepuscular gloom. If you’re a grown up kid at heart, then this is certainly worth going along to and playing around in.
There were a few issues with our headphones on the night but the staff, all who are all very pleasant, patient and helpful, and plentiful, soon sorted us out and we were on our way. They are also very keen to ensure we had as best an experience as possible, telling us when the next shows would be ready. A lovely crowd of friendly folk.
Like all these immersive events it a bit hit and miss. Like Fantasia itself, depends on your taste and expectation, but when the thought had been invested and the enchantment comes to life then there are moments which are magical and entertaining. With a range of spaces to explore, some theatrical acts to watch, plenty of wandering to do and a few cool and well planned surprises, it’s all in all a pleasant enough event, engaging and fun, safe and entertaining.
Production runs until September 30 at The Vaults, Waterloo Station, London
For more info or to book tickets, click here:
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