9 / 10
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Writing a review for something like Secret Cinema is difficult, extremely difficult. Not because there isn't a lot to say, not because the experience wasn't wonderfully different, oh no, the problem here is giving things away. You see, mystery is a significant part of what Secret Cinema is all about, knowing what you are seeing is in many ways like knowing the ending.

Perhaps the best way to do this is start at the beginning. I decide a good way to get an idea of how this all works is to recruit my friend Anne, she's done a few of these before so knows exactly what to expect, or rather what kind of thing to expect.

The instructions are quite specific, an email declares we have been cast as Rogues. We have been given a link to a letter, written by a man called Maximilian. It in turn links to a map where we must meet our secret contact, a code word we will use to identify ourselves and a dress code that recommends a white cravat, scarf or handkerchief. Are we some kind of spy? Is this a hint to the production that will unfold? If anything it is a hint, perhaps not to the film in any specific way (so you can stop googling all those clues right now, they won't help), but to the fun this evening has in store.

With only a few hours notice, I don't have the weeks that most get to really go the whole hog with costume play, but I do own a felt hat and a white scarf. In the cold London air, this will have to do, I am at least making an effort, something I soon find is key to the whole experience.

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It turns out our meeting spot in London is near where Anne works, very near, this is her patch so after a quick meal at some burger bar we dash off to our rendezvous point where we meet a gentleman in uniform who is suddenly taking us through the busy streets to our destination.

This gentleman is one of the 30 or so actors who will ultimately litter the building at the secret location he takes us to. Some of them play people from the film, others are interpretations of minor characters, and yet more are merely inspired by the film's locations and scenes, many have accents. There are no wallflowers here, all of them have roles to play, and only occasionally do these exclude us the audience.

We arrive at a doorway to a building, another man in uniform checks our bags briefly, but quite what for I'm not sure. I have a big DSLR inside mine, and Anne has one in hers too. Unlike most events, cameras are very much permitted, so presumably this is a check for other things. Maybe we are spies! If so our belongings have not given the game away, our papers must be in order.

Straight after that we are in a period hotel lobby, where another actor with an accent takes our names and crosses us off a list. She hands us wrist bands in character as if this would be a totally normal transaction for the time in which we are exploring. No sooner have we proceeded past the check in desk, we are offered rooms for the night and Anne gleefully accepts them.

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I must confess, without my guide at this point I would have become increasingly bewildered, however I am kept grounded in this alternative reality that the acting company have created thanks to the wonderful performances of this interactive live theatre that echoes all around us, and Anne's desire to participate and mesh with the event.

Knowing now what city we have been transported to, we start to wander around and pretty soon another actor with not only a dialect different from our own but the language skills to match, throws a torrent of words in our direction. Whatever she describes it sounds bad, and she soon rushes off before she attracts too much attention.

From here we move to the bar where a three piece jazz band is playing whilst a lady dances. After finishing her performance in partially cold attire, she introduces herself as Octavia, dons a fur coat and offers to take Anne and myself somewhere interesting. The last time we had an offer like that, it was from a drunken lesbian at a music festival, but we figure this is a safe one to accept and arms linked we are led up staircase after staircase, until we find ourselves at the top of the building.

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