Tutankhamen: The Immersive Exhibition

Today, I finally got to see Tutankhamen: The Immersive Exhibition, which I had previously booked and had to cancel. Now, this time, it was hosted by a group called Fun Activities to Do in London on a Weekend. But gee, they bought tickets in advance, and charged extra.. so I just booked myself again, through the Fever app. And as I had booked before, I even got a couple of quid off!

I'd never been to ExCel London before.. wow, it's a long way east. Too far for bus alone, and the Tube wouldn't drop me close enough - I decided on the Elizabeth Line, taking the bus to Liverpool Street to catch it. Of course, as always when it's needed, the #47 was delayed - by half an hour. But I'm used to travelling to Liverpool Street, and I know the alternatives - I caught the #381 to London Bridge, then the next bus that happened along heading in the right direction. Was in Liverpool Street before the #47 was even due to arrive at my home. And the Elizabeth Line, as expected, had beautiful air conditioning - I even got a seat, it not being that crowded.

Alighted at Custom House, where there's a clear walkway heading to Immerse LDN, down by the waterfront - signage is pretty clear, including about that being where the Tutankhamen exhibition is located, and I found it without too much difficulty. Being by the water, it got the worst of what is quite a windy day today - I was glad to get in! I was early, mind, as were a couple ahead of me - she asked us to wait for a few minutes, it was very crowded: sold out for the day, in fact. Five minutes later, we were invited to head in, after a cursory bag check. They do have paid lockers, BTW, but don't object to you carrying a small bag. Of course, the very first thing is to have your photo taken - in front of a temple wall-stye backdrop - which all three of us refused..

I have to say, overall, the graphics are excellent:

As you enter, Anubis strolls past, along the wall, scattering gold dust behind him - mirrors on all sides enhance the effect, which is marvellous. There's a site map of your route - but there's only one path anyway, so it's hardly necessary.

Next are some informational panels - including a family tree (approximate) of King Tut himself. They're not 100% sure of any of it..

And so to a room of artefacts - some replicas:

..others real:

From there, it's into the first immersive room, where a film plays on a half-hour loop, displayed on the walls around you. And if you're quick, you can nab one of the cube seats:

What's particularly cool here, though, are the projections onto the floor - sometimes to give the impression that you're moving, flying through space and time, which can be quite disconcerting, they also sometimes represent insects, scuttling around under our feet - and I wasn't the only one who jumped when I saw one, out of the corner of my eye, headed my way:

Really, best immersive effect I've seen since the Sphere! Now unfortunately, this was pretty much my last chance to take photos - most of the remainder was VR, which made it impossible.

Next up is the first VR experience, which is seated - you wait until someone directs you to a seat, then put on the headsets you find there. Your personal show starts in about 30 seconds - and is pretty cool, showing Tut's journey to the afterlife, his judgement and such. After that is a hologram room, where the holograms show you how he was mummified, to a description on headphones that you're given on the way in.

Finally comes the walk-through VR experience - truly disconcerting. You're warned not to take off the headsets yourself, as then you won't be visible to other participants, who might bump into you. As indeed, I bumped into a kid.. You're also warned not to walk past red lines, which display when you're too close to the wall. It's quite surreal - you can see all the other participants within your vicinity, but they all look like - Howard Carter.. just with differing heights, each with a unique number, although I have no idea what my number was. And you can hear them talking to each other.. As to what the point of the exercise was, I have little idea - we were hanging around the archaeological tents a couple of times, which was interesting, but then we seemed to teleport into the dig, and I have no idea what happened there. Interesting if you haven't done walk-through VR before, but I have - and it was better than this. I could have skipped this bit and saved myself some time and effort.

Some final informational panels, and we were out to the toilet and exit. (And, of course, the obligatory giftshop.) The whole experience took about two hours - and was very atmospheric, I have to say, with booming music, specially composed, suggestive of the power of the pharaohs. The only bit I had a quibble with was that last VR room - and I have to commend the staff, who personally checked every headset before giving it to us. Overall, an excellent experience, highly recommended - runs till next Sunday. Delighted I squeezed it in at last.

I hadn't booked anywhere to eat, figuring I'd surely come across something - sure enough, I came across the Waterfront Street Kitchen & Bar. Wandered in - very indifferent service. I finally approached someone to ask whether I should just take a table - she said yes I could, just in that section over there - this one was just closing. Doing so, I was left for over five minutes without a menu, before a rather stained one was presented to me by someone else. Little enough choice on it too - I suspected that anything that sounded spicy was probably too spicy for me, and I went for the fish n chips instead. And the middle-priced of the three white wines they serve by the glass - I didn't recognise any of the varieties, never mind the names.

I was to be kept waiting a long time for the wine - when someone passed with a lone glass on a tray, I figured it must be mine, but no, she carried on with it to the woman in the corner. Who was breastfeeding! I wasn't close enough to hear the conversation, but by the look of it the waiter wouldn't accept that she hadn't ordered it.. the one who took the order then came over, and, perplexed, the two waiters finally went back to the bar. With my wine! A few minutes later, the wine did indeed return to me, with an apology. Honestly though.. and it tasted like vinegar.

The fish was nice, the chips nondescript. The only option for peas was mushy - happily, they were served on the side, so I could ignore them. The tartare sauce was so bland - and a bit watery - that I asked for ketchup to give the chips some flavour. That worked better. The whole thing was served on greaseproof paper, on a tin tray - this to maintain their "street kitchen" vibe, I suppose. 

I had seen some semi-interesting dessert options, so I asked for the chocolate torte - and a glass of the most expensive of the three wines. The dessert was presented with a flourish - pity I still hadn't got the wine, so I wasn't as appreciative as I might have been. Especially a pity, because it was rich, and delicious! Served with a good vegan ice cream, and honeycomb sprinkles (which kind of negate the "vegan" part, methinks). And this wine was much better - so the meal ended on a high. They were closing about 5.30, you have been warned..

For my journey home, Google Maps gave me a new option - Elizabeth Line, followed by Thameslink to London Bridge. So I did that.

The next two days, I'm thinking film - tomorrow, what's coming up is The Last Journey, about a couple of Swedish tv personalities who take the father of one of them on what is probably going to be his last trip, a road trip to France, which he's always loved. Showing in the Garden Cinema.

After that, I have something of a tie on my film list, with three films on the same rating - what appeals most is The Way Way Back, a coming-of-age comedy about the summer of a teenage boy. Now, I'm not usually into coming-of-age films, but this does actually look funny - Toni Collette plays his mother, Steve Carell the manager of the theme park where they're holidaying, who becomes his mentor. Excellent actors, and it doesn't look twee. I did fully intend to see it when it came out, but just never got around to it. It's now in the Prince Charles, part of their Coming-of-Age Summer season. I haven't booked for either of these films yet, as they're not selling out - and while, if I do go to this, of course I'll want to eat in Bella Italia Cranbourn Street again, well, I don't think I'll have any trouble getting a table on a Tuesday!

Very excited about Wednesday - TAC is playing a blinder, with tickets for the Gala de Danza at Central Hall Westminster! This is billed as an extravaganza of music, dance, and art. Happily, how they're doing it is providing a code, which you then use to book your own ticket - as expensive as you like, you still get it for nothing but the admin fee! Eating beforehand at The Red Lion.

Thursday is looking like film again - delving into the group of three films, I think The Ballad of Wallis Island looks like the one: another comedy, in which an eccentric lottery winner, living alone on a small offshore island, hires his favourite artists to play a private concert for him. (If only..!) Thing is, the artists used to be a couple, and have since broken up, which adds to the fun - she's played by Carey Mulligan. I suppose I had to get around to it eventually - of course, all these films are subject to change, if ratings change, or I get a better offer. Still showing in Picturehouse Central.

Next two days are something of a Meetup extravaganza. On Friday, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Miss Myrtle's Garden, at the Bush Theatre. Eating beforehand at Shikumen Chinese restaurant.

Then on Saturday afternoon, I'm attending their summer social, at The Oxford Market. 

That should be finished in time to head over to the BFI, where The Hideout is seeing Videodrome, a body horror by David Cronenberg, that evening. Stars James Woods and Debbie Harry. Love a bit of Cronenberg.

Next Sunday - the only day this month they could make it - I'm meeting Ivan and James (and possibly Martin) for our monthly social, and we've decided to try The Phoenix again.

And on the 30th, back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group (London Baroque Music Lovers are also going, but I had to pick one - mind you, the same guy is organising) for the opening night of Handel's opera Semele, in the Royal Opera House. Eating at Cote Covent Garden beforehand.