It’s simply been identified to me that my eyes have been vast open — like ‘what the hell simply occurred’ vast open — for a while.
The looks of my eyes is of little concern to me proper now, nonetheless. My present predicament entails making an attempt to assemble the jumble of very recently-collected and wildly vibrant feelings and recollections bouncing round my head into some kind of coherent and easy-to-access order. I’m concurrently euphoric and bewildered and it’s proving extraordinarily tough. Not serving to issues are numerous fairly well-known faces from U.Okay. TV stood simply few ft away, alongside a much-celebrated creator (whose books I occur to like) and an England soccer star — none of whom I’m allowed to call on this piece. Fortunately, most of them are wanting somewhat wide-eyed as effectively.
To clarify this reasonably uncommon state of affairs, considerably cryptically, I’ve simply been a “passenger” on “You Me Bum Bum Prepare,” the ridiculously-named immersive theater expertise for which the phrases “immersive theater expertise” don’t practically do it justice.
The present (is it a present? I suppose it may be referred to as a present…) is presently housed in a secret location in central London — a colorless, gray Seventies workplace block that the majority of us would stroll previous with out bothering to show our heads. There’s a blue neon signal on the bottom ground’s again wall that reads “You Me Bum Bum Prepare,” but it surely’s barely seen from the road. I actually don’t know the place I now am contained in the constructing.
That is — fairly probably — all I’m allowed to say about “You Me Bum Prepare Prepare.”
With eyes nonetheless vast open and ideas persevering with to pinball, I’ve been chatting to co-creators Kate Bond and Morgan Lloyd (pictured above), who devised a free idea for the expertise whereas college associates in 2004 and have been growing and increasing it throughout a smattering of more and more in-demand (to not point out award-winning) pop-ups in London during the last twenty years. They’re giving me some really golden anecdotes in regards to the manufacturing, their interactions with the large names who’ve taken half and the impression it’s had on folks, every one swiftly adopted with “please don’t write about that.” Not ruining the mystique is completely important.
To that finish, I’ve already signed a non-disclosure settlement. I’ve promised to not utter a phrase (okay, I’m allowed to utter some phrases). I’m additionally very fearful of the huge military of devoted Bum Bum fanatics who could effectively hunt me down if I spill the beans.
Invited to participate in “You Me Bum Bum Prepare” as a media visitor, writing about one thing I can’t actually write about is proving to be my trickiest task thus far.
And but, regardless of being shrouded in near-total secrecy, “You Me Bum Bum Prepare” has grow to be the most well liked ticket in London. So sizzling, in reality, that tickets merely aren’t out there. At the least to not mere mortals (ahem, exterior the press). The present present — its first in virtually 10 years — noticed 120,000 folks apply in a poll on the primary minute of launch, greater than Glastonbury Competition.
However an array of A-listers, whose skill to acquire in any other case unobtainable golden tickets stays unparalleled, have been by way of these unremarkable doorways in current weeks.
If native information articles (and whispers from inside the trade) are to be believed, Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brie Larson, Andrew Garfield, James Norton, Naomi Campbell and lots of extra have additionally been “passengers” on the most recent “You Me Bum Bum Prepare,” alongside movie execs, producers and, as talked about earlier than, a Who’s Who of U.Okay. TV stars. Prince Harry — with bodyguards — was noticed at a efficiency when it was final on in 2016, whereas Jude Regulation, Kate Winslet and Dominic West are additionally stated to have attended. James Corden reportedly appreciated it a lot he signed on to hitch its military of unpaid volunteers, a close to cult-like troupe of giddy fanatics who do every little thing from work on the manufacturing, to man the reception and cloak room to seem inside the expertise itself. At its 2016 present, 13,242 volunteers — with out whom your entire operation merely wouldn’t be capable to exist — are stated to have been concerned.
It ought to be famous that whereas lots of the volunteers are, as one places it, “Bum Bum veterans,” individuals who had been so taken by the expertise in one among its earlier iterations that they needed to be a part of it, a good portion have by no means really been on the “Prepare.” One tells me that he’s volunteering as an actor whereas nonetheless ready to search out out if he’s been profitable within the poll (he acknowledges that the percentages are closely stacked towards him). One other explains that she rode “You Me Bum Bum Prepare” when it was on in 2011 and refused to inform her husband completely something about what occurred for nearly 15 years till he was capable of do it himself just some weeks in the past. “In any other case it might have spoiled it for him!” she says.
So, how you can describe “You Me Bum Bum Prepare” inside the considerably strict (and NDA’d) tips and never spoil it for anybody?
Primarily, it’s an immersive theater expertise the place you aren’t merely a bystander, however the lead star. Every passenger is individually guided by way of a carousel of riotously artistic, intensely plausible, forensically detailed and even sometimes topical scenes — most just some minutes lengthy — that don’t merely require your full consideration however wholehearted, full-throated participation, with the performers centered on you and what choice you select to make in that second.
A few the situations are quiet and meditative, however most put you within the sizzling seat in a extremely intense, adrenaline-charged, think-on-your-feet state of affairs only a few of us will ever come near discovering ourselves in. Have you ever ever dreamed of throwing out some foremost character vibes? Now’s your likelihood. Or not. There’s no proper or mistaken solution to do it. You may actually be whoever you’d wish to be and strategy every one whichever manner you need (inside cause, in fact) — the tons of of actor volunteers there to react accordingly, after which swiftly usher you into the following insane setting.
It’s all exhilarating, surreal, liberating, stunning, hilarious, mind-boggling, terrifying, ludicrous and thought-provoking. Nevertheless it’s additionally genuinely self-revelatory. Chances are you’ll effectively discover that, whereas on the “You Me Bum Bum Prepare,” you specific your self in methods you by no means thought you’d be capable to. Chances are you’ll behave far exterior the partitions of the persona traits you believed you had been restricted by. Possibly the you that you simply thought was you isn’t the precise you? Sure, it’s that profound. And I’m additionally an enormous cynic at the very best of occasions, so writing one thing like that doesn’t come simply.
The phrases “life-changing” crop up so much amongst “You Me Bum Bum Prepare” folks and it’s not laborious to see why. Certainly, earlier than I went, I’d been informed that some attendees had ended up fully altering careers and beginning divorce proceedings. As a fortunately married man with a job I fairly get pleasure from, I’d be mendacity if I stated there wasn’t a touch of trepidation entering into.
However no, I gained’t be ditching the household or hanging up my Selection boots anytime quickly (particularly not after they can get me a extremely sought-after “You Me Bum Bum Prepare” ticket). However being a passenger has positively stirred one thing inside. Even days later, with eyes now open at a extra acceptable measurement and state of befuddlement again to regular ranges, I used to be nonetheless processing all of it. “Oh shit, I did do this!” was the usual inner response as some second I’d fully forgotten about emerged from the depths of my thoughts. “And I used to be, really, fairly good at it!”
Principally, I’m simply extraordinarily grateful that I’ve been capable of expertise this spectacular creation and never simply jealously surprise from afar what on God’s inexperienced Earth folks had been banging on about. “If You Know You Know” has grow to be the most well-liked line on social media amongst those that have been on board the prepare and, effectively, now I do know. Sadly, solely a small share of the preliminary 120,000 poll hopefuls — and the various hundreds who can have signed up since — shall be fortunate sufficient to say the identical earlier than the present present ends in London on Might 2. Seemingly different more-fortunate-than-most Hollywood stars and U.Okay TV personalities will grow to be passengers in that point (I noticed a paparazzi hoping to snap one exterior once I left — the venue isn’t that hush-hush).
However for these throughout the Atlantic who at the moment are intensely interested by “You Me Bum Bum Prepare” and never capable of make it to London, there may nonetheless be a possibility coming quickly to have your minds blown. After a number of earlier false begins (derailments?), I hear that areas are being scoured for the world’s wildest and most secretive immersive theater expertise to lastly make its U.S. debut.
