THE POP-UP CINEMA IN HACKNEY SPREADING XMAS CHEER


I’m on a rickety train back to Essex & I have fake snow in my trainers and down my pants. All signs of a great day out right?

Today I met up with some of my old Bruford pals; the ones I ate hash browns with whilst learning script lines and wetting myself with laughter. Nothing bonds you together as friends like a good dose of Growtowski thrusting & free dance. Drama School seems like a million years ago now but they are still the best of folks, I tell ya.

We ventured into Hackney today to exchange gifts (I got a Lush butter bear <3<3), drink beer like Vikings and do something Christmassy with a capital ‘C’.

Move over Winter Wonderland, this is the thing that’s gonna get your butt in gear for Xmas (and there’s no overpriced mulled wine, squelchy grass or epic crowds in sight).

I stumbled across a pop-up cinema at Hackney Showroom whilst doing some research for work (yup, the best type of work research) and I was sold in an instant when the website mentioned ‘snow in the cinema’. I mean what a flippin’ magical & marvy idea?

So today, after a beer or two and some ace food from Oslo Hackney, we ventured round to Hackney Showroom in search of snow and Christmas cheer. In true east London hip & happenin’ fashion, there was a trendy food market (vegan, obvs) outside which was buzzing with crowds jostling for risotto balls & vegan Thai. My kinda scene (I just needed a cool hat to fit in).

 


My pal Char was on the verge of wetting herself so we headed straight in. On the surface, it all seemed very ordinary. There was a cute little pop up bar selling mulled wine, hot chocolate & baileys & posh popcorn. And it’s proper important to add that this stuff seemed reasonably priced for London – top marks.

We went through into a seemingly ordinary room, hot chocs in hand, where we were directed towards an ornate wooden wardrobe and told to climb inside. Um, okay then. Narnia come at me.

I have the best memory of reading the narnia books as a little lady and being completely engrossed in that moment she goes through the wardrobe. So yeah, this was pretty cool and they got it so spot on.

 

It was filled with thick fur coats, the type you expect hipsters to be wearing with Nike trainers around shoreditch. We pushed them aside and caught the first glimpse of a room filled with fir trees & snow. MAGICAL OR WHAT.

We literally were ‘walking in a winter wonderland’.

There was snow falling from the ceiling & everything. I think I want to transform my spare bedroom into something of this fashion next year. Just an idea.

 




The next room followed the same ilk, thick snow covering the floor and fir trees snuggly sitting around the big old film screen. We were there to see Tim Burtons ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ (Elf was sold out & Love Actually was showing too late).

The film was y’know, what I expected – singing skeletons and signature Burton style. The real fun was the experience of doing something different and something immersive. Life’s too short to sit in ordinary cinemas with chewing gum on the floor eating over priced stale pick-a-mix.

I mean maybe they should have carried on with the immersive theme and rolled out some all singing all dancing skeletons into the screening room? (There was a cute Mother/Son duo who were dressed up as Jack the Skelton, all white faces and giant black spikey costumes. We deffo whooped when they came in before realising they were not part of the show. Awks.)

The only criticism I had was that the chairs were slightly uncomfortable. I know, woe me. My advice? Get some sofas or bean bags in there, guys. Yup less ticket sales probably, but omg more comfortable by far.

We didn’t leave without playing a bit in the snow because me and my pals are still very young at heart. We threw it over our heads which at the time was like LOL but now I’m sitting on the train on my lonesome and people probs think I have bad dandraft. Bad times.

I think all the films are over for now, but pop up screens also hold summer pop up cinema too so be sure to check it out.

[Jade in present time says] Now I’m off to Bruges tomorrow morning so I gotta go pack all the pleated skirts, velvet boots & lush bath products into the car for our road trip into jolly Belgium. Yes I’m gonna eat all the chocolate waffles because F the diet it’s bloody Christmas.

I hope, with all my heart, that you all have the best Christmas surrounded by loved ones & an abundance of mince pies & cranberry sauce.

See you on the other side folks.