Interstellar Live at Royal Albert Hall Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review. All views are our own
If you are looking for the ultimate sci-fi experience, look no further than the Royal Albert Hall. This year, the Royal Albert Hall has created a vast series of cinematic films in concerts. Upcoming screenings include The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and Pirates of the Caribbean. The first of these live films occurred this Easter weekend.
On behalf of Theatre and Tonic, I was invited to see Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic Interstellar. Nolan’s sci-fi epic has been one of the most highly requested of the live cinematic screenings and returns to the Royal Albert Hall for the first time since 2015. The film has a devoted following even a decade later, with many of the audience dressed as astronauts and their favourite characters to attend the screening.
Considered one of the top ten films of 2014, Interstellar follows a team of explorers as they undertake the most important mission in human history: finding a new home for us among the stars when Earth loses its ability to support life. The visual effects are absolutely stunning on the large screen and, even over a decade later, still showcase an incredible, awe-inspiring visual landscape. The storyline has also aged powerfully in its exploration of courage, determination and how far we will go for our loved ones. The film has an incredible stacked cast, including Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine and Matthew McConaghey but it is truly the score which transcends time a decade later.
In this live screening, Hans Zimmer’s phenomenal score was performed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Ben Palmer, and renowned organist Roger Sayer. An additional enjoyable element to the experience is that by Roger Sayer, who was personally selected by Zimmer to record the organ elements of the original soundtrack in the film. In this screening, he plays the 9,999 pipe Henry Willis Organ. The score is arguably the best highlight of this experience, adding incredible depth, emotional resonance and sheer wonder to the cinematic screening. The Royal Albert Hall is renowned for its incredible acoustics, and the orchestra created a truly spectacular experience throughout. This, along with the subtitling and original dialogue, was a highly immersive experience throughout. Although the film has a running time of 3 hours and 14 minutes, the screening included a a 25 minute interval, at the halfway point to be more inclusive to the audience.
Overall, this was a phenomenal experience at the Royal Albert Hall. The atmosphere was incredible, the musical experience was completely immersive, and the orchestra were absolutely brilliant. This is a must-see experience for any cinephile and a brilliant night out for all. Run to get tickets while you can.
For the full list of FIlms in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, visit this website.
