Show: Storehouse

For tonight, back with CT, I had a ticket for Storehouse, a new immersive exhibition in Deptford. A topical show, it puts you in a storehouse containing all news stories since the advent of the internet, but asks you to take a stand, with rival narratives competing for dominance. Found out today that a couple of others from Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) were going, but to the later show - I fancied an early night, particularly being in the office tomorrow, and booked the earlier one.

Buses go from right outside my house - and mine was packed. I managed a seat upstairs, where I could all the better hear the screeching of the overhanging branches on the roof. I alighted at Deptford Fire Station - there's a little hill just before that, leading to quite an interesting sensation as you attempt to make your way from upstairs. It's a short walk from there - I was joined by quite a few people, and it was easy to find - there's a hoarding with a gate in it, which had a few ushers performing bag checks. 

Not very developed, this site - but as in the photo, it does have a paved path in good condition, so you can find your way in. I imagine the lights beside the path come on at night. Tickets are scanned - I just got the barcode version today - and the audience is directed to the bar (a limited one, with beer and soft drinks), lockers, and portaloos. Handbags can be taken in, and drinks as far as the first room, but larger bags must be left.You get a lanyard with a number on it, and are told to proceed to the room with that number - mine, 7, was last of the bunch, at the end of the corridor. The back of the lanyard explains that you are a Trustee - this will all be explained later. You also get a handbook as you go in. And the entrance, I have to say, is reasonably spooky - all large vat-type structures that you walk around, until you find the corridor with numbered rooms, and friendly folks to direct you.

No photography, no video - phones must be turned off, or in airplane mode. You discover that the room you're sent to is a reception, where you take a seat, and a tablet is handed around, which invites you to enter your name and have a photo taken - this is then printed out as a sticker, which you place over the number on the front of your lanyard. You're also given a fortune cookie each.. open when prompted. You don't have to eat it if you don't want - just memorise the message inside. These were evidently specially commissioned.

A "legal adviser" explains the situation before the evening proper starts - this is a repository for all the information stored digitally since the advent of the internet, in 1983. It was all supposed to be amalgamated at the start of this year - but something went wrong, and it hasn't been. The trustees' job is to recommend what measures should be taken to get the facility back on track. Oh, and you meet the kooky caretaker - note the neon tracksuit; everyone who works down here has been down here since 1983, and still dresses that way.. something I hadn't expected. And the rooms you're taken to have a profusion of 80s gadgets. You will be meeting that caretaker again, BTW. A lot.

I won't go too deeply into the rest of the show. There is a Big Brother feel to it, with the workers regarding the system with a religious fervour - every now and then, a snatch of Karma Chameleon is played, to which they have to dance - this constitutes their break time. In short, we meet the bookbinders and the stackers - two separate groups, with somewhat different views. Also different ways of disseminating information - as we learn going through, the bookbinders are very thorough, but the stackers think they have found a way to streamline the process.

It's gonna come down to bookbinders vs stackers - and TBH it is quite simplistic. What with the simplification of the argument, and especially some of the audience interaction that's required, it did occur to me that this is much more a show for young people than for adults. Seriously, it's very educational, and they do raise some valuable arguments about how we deal with information overload, and fake news - but it's at a very basic level. Still, it's well-intentioned, and quite imaginative. You exit by a larger bar - plenty of seating, but with just cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks, I didn't fancy it, and just left. This runs to the 20th of next month. Hey, I'll say this for it, it's got me on an 80s music binge since I got home!

Not much to eat around there - as I was coming out, the next crowd was coming in, but I didn't see anyone I recognised. There's a pub nearby, but they just do pizza - so I headed for the KFC I'd noticed when I was looking up directions there. It's a drive-thru as well, but they have seating. I ordered at the kiosk as usual - if you're eating in, they give you the option of having your order delivered to your table; just pick up a "table tent". A whu'?! Turned out they have these plastic number cards for the tables. Anyway, there weren't any near me, so I just opted to collect at the counter. There was plenty of space to sit, anyway. No way could I pay at the kiosk, however - I tried a couple of cards, a couple of ways, but both were declined! So I had to wait to pay at the counter. I did get fed eventually - where I discovered I'd forgotten to change the sauce option. The default one, I have to say, is pretty tasteless.. And then they have this complicated sorting system for recycling. But hey, for all its complications, it was tasty..

Stopped on the way home to shop at my local Tesco. There's always something I need..

Tomorrow, thinking of film again - and The Garden Cinema has a members' suggestion, Smiles of a Summer Night, a romantic comedy by Ingmar Bergman, which looks like an option. Even closer to the office than is the Curzon Bloomsbury! And I've finally bitten the bullet and taken out membership with them too.

Then there's a whole heap of Meetup.. On Friday.. well, The Hideout is off to Friday 13th Part VIII in the Prince Charles (PCC).. and the organiser offered me a free ticket. Otherwise you couldn't drag me to it, TBH. We're meeting in Victory House beforehand - no time to eat beforehand, I'll have to manage afterwards, somewhere.

On Saturday, back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies, yay - finally getting to do his Beatles walk.

Oh, and I hadn't noticed until today - but The Hideout's sister group, Movie Roadhouse London, is going to Materialists that evening, in the Odeon West End! A romcom, but rather elevated by the fact that it's written and directed by the excellent Celine Song, who gave us the devastating Past Lives a couple of years ago. This one promises to be a lot more lighthearted, with Dakota Johnson as a matchmaker with no time to organise her own love life. Enter the perfect man - Pedro Pascal, who, for my money, was the best thing about Gladiator II! Enter, at the same time - just to complicate matters - her deadbeat ex, Chris Evans, for whom she still has feelings. So, I'll be going to that..

Sunday, I'm dragging myself out of bed, and managing the second half of Lomaz' weekend at Sutton Hoo - not getting to Sutton Hoo itself mind, I'm joining them in Woodbridge. Now, apart from the Stansted Express, it's a long time since I booked train tickets in the UK - and Lordy, what a palaver. Firstly, I found the cheapest on Uber - not to mention I get Uber credit on top, which is nice. Then they calculated I'd have a cheaper ticket with a split fare (thank goodness we have algorithms to figure this out for us - the UK rail network is otherwise incomprehensible!) So, it seems it works out cheaper if I get a ticket to Colchester, and another onwards from there. All in one transaction, and factored into the price. Ok fine. Finally, the final leg of the journey, from Ipswich, is by rail replacement bus - no problem, they've factored that into the ticket too. Oh, and the last going home leaves before 10pm.. one of the reasons I never want to live "just outside" London!

On Monday, back with The Hideout for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, also at the PCC. More 80s slasher fun.. this one stars Dennis Hopper. Coincides nicely with the original film - it was showing in the smaller screen, but had to move into the larger one because of demand, and is showing there right after the original - which I see some of the group are also going to! Handy for the double-bill. Anyway, the timing (to see the sequel) works for me to eat - and I've booked Bella Italia, yum..

On Tuesday, back with UITCS for The Comedy About Spies, from the excellent Mischief Theatre. Playing at the Noel Coward Theatre. And as that isn't very far from Bella Italia.. well, I'm sure I'm not going to mind eating there twice in a row!

Next Wednesday, back with TAC for A Manchester Anthem, at Riverside Studios.

On the 21st, thinking film.. not as close to the office, but it's the closest to home, and I should manage it, if I take the Tube - The Life of Chuck sounds good, and is playing in the Curzon Aldgate. Based on a novella by Stephen King, it's billed as the new It's a Wonderful Life, stars Tom Hiddleston as the adult Chuck, and also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Mark Hamill.

On the 22nd, back with The Hideout for Together - a new body horror about an unsuspecting couple on holiday in the wilderness. Putatively scheduled for the Vue West End, but their listings aren't out yet..

On the 23rd, my monthly ex-colleagues' meeting again, probably at The Phoenix - and probably just James again, as Ivan is distracted by family matters, and there still is no word from Martin.

And on the 24th, back with Lomaz.. dependably busy on weekends, on that day they're off to Dover Castle. This time, Uber didn't seem to recognise the journey - I booked on Trainline instead.