Secret Cinema - Star Wars

Me as a Starfighter Alliance Corps pilot

This wasn't a 'theatre' experience as such, but it did involve live performances by actors, so I thought it merited a post. I won't go into detail about it so as not to give too much away.

I am not a Star Wars fan. Before going to this event my Star Wars exposure consisted of watching Episode 1 at the cinema and a bit of one of the other films (can't remember which) at home. I don't think we even finished watching the one at home because I got bored. I just don't like things set in space. When given the opportunity to go to this event I was reluctant because I didn't think it would be worth it for me. But I ended up enjoying it a lot. 

One of the first things you do after obtaining your ticket is to complete a short online questionnaire to determine your role in the Rebellion. I got 'Starfighter Alliance Corps', and my partner, who was the driving force behind my going, set about acquiring a suitable outfit for me. The chosen outfit was a second-hand homemade one and was pretty good. I thought the front control box looked a bit primitive until I actually saw the film, and realised that the 'real' ones looked similarly basic. The Starfighter outfit was the most distinctive of the possible costumes.

The Secret Cinema experience involves entering and immersing oneself in the world of the event's theme - in this case Star Wars - before watching the film in question (in this case The Empire Strikes Back). Here are some of my thoughts and recommendations:

• It was definitely worth dressing up. It made the experience a lot more immersive and I have never been given so much respect in my life as when I was dressed as a Starfighter Alliance Corps pilot. One of the actors at the event greeted me with 'It's good to see you again, pilot', while another told me I should congratulate myself.

• When you reach the planet destination I would recommend looking around properly, soaking up the atmosphere and interacting with or at least observing the characters there. It's easy to be seduced by the food stalls and spend too much time queuing and eating. If you're not a massive fan of the films, it's especially important to make the most of this part of the experience because it's probably the bit you'll enjoy the most. There's a lot going on. 

• I discovered that it's 'Han Solo', not Hans Solo.

• My criticism of the experience was that there wasn't any follow-up or continuity on the mission we were supposed to be accomplishing. There was a lot of build-up but it was never fully realised. I may not be a Star Wars fan, but I do like my experiences of this sort to be properly immersive and complete. 

• Spend some time in the bar after watching the film. There was a good atmosphere and music.

Next: Nell Gwynn