I visited London’s wildest cinematic experience – Future Cinema – for the first time on Sunday (because it is obviously a bright idea to add another thing to your plate during London Fashion Week) to wine and dine myself under the bright lights of Casablanca. Thankfully, it was one of the most enjoyable ‘nights out’ I have ever had in London.
With my best dude friend and our mutual crush on Ingrid Bergman in tow, we made our way to Rick’s Café Américain (aka a renovated Troxy). First met under the bridge to have our papers checked before being allowed into Rick’s, a few patrons did not fare as well as my faux-Parisian best friend and I (Polish for the night) and went through a search before being let through the doors and into 1942.
Everyone gasps as they enter Rick’s Café. Transformed into a prodigious version of the film’s main play, the Troxy now stands as the hottest nightclub in town, where audiences gather around Sam’s piano, try their luck in the Café’s own Casino, and dance into the night with Benoît Viellefon and his Orchestra. With performances of the theatrical and musical variety scattered throughout the first hour or so, you are urged to wander the scene and grab a plate or three from The Blue Parrot Café (by Moro of Exmouth Market) who have created dishes including a chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives, vegetable couscous with sweet onions, raisins and harissa (photographed here) as well as sweet Moroccan pastries, recreating the smells and tastes of Casablanca. Once fully immersed in the experience, the film itself begins to play on a large screen over the stage.
By the time the credits roll the entire Troxy is on an incredible high. The scene, the fashion (I opted for this dress from Izabel London to stick to the dress code), the music; it is a mesmerizing cinematic experience. Exit visas included.
Thankfully, following overwhelming demand and record sold-out run the production has been extended until March 23rd! Get your tickets here.
