Remember Irene Cara singing about Fame and how she was going to live forever? Well now you can experience Fame for yourself, albeit for 60 minutes only.
What a Feeling!
Fame*Factory is an immersive experience by Immerse LDN on the Excel Waterfront. It promises “a high-octane joyride through your own fame fantasy”. So the City Adventurers went to check it out.
The 60-minute walk-through experience begins with a choice of fame fantasy. What would you want to be famous for? The options on the website include “Will you be a chart-topping pop star? A Hollywood icon? A sporting legend?”
Our Fantasy Vision of Fame
It turns out that our fantasy vision of fame and celebrity did not match the available choices. While I was channeling Bette Davis and Helen Mirren, the closest to Hollywood icon was action movie actor.
And “Nobel Prize Winner” didn’t come close to any of the available options. So we defaulted to action movie actor for that one too. In fact, we suggested spy action heros – Mr and Mrs Smith (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) or Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis in True Lies. We wanted something sophisticated, but alas that was not to be.
First we waited to board our private jet with a small family and found we were taking the flight together. The private plane seats 6 so everyone is split into groups of 6. If you can, make up a group of 6 or you will be placed with strangers.
Does this make a difference? Well, yes and no.
Most of the experience you will be alone with the actors but some of the event takes place as a group. In those cases you will have strangers in your celebrity video, so why would you purchase it as a keepsake? Also, we found some instances where the other family were part of the action and we were left out.
The Rising Star
That aside, after landing in LA, the 6 of us were whisked off to grab our costumes and head for a photo shoot. Remember I mentioned wanting something sophisticated? Well, the costume for action hero was not sophisticated James Bond-esque. It was more Rambo. So we elected not to have costumes.
Finishing my photos, I looked around to find everyone had gone! Yes, as you finish your photo shoot you are whisked away individually to meet your agent, then the director of your movie and then to be interviewed on the red carpet in front of your adoring fans.
Of course, the paparazzi are also waiting to propel you into the fame stratosphere. But beware they can break you as well as make you…..
The Fall!
You meet back up with your group towards the end of your journey, as you have fallen from grace and need to pull things back as a guest on a talk show….
Unfortunately, this bit of the experience was far too rushed. While the other members of the group seemed to have time to mingle and find out their fall from grace story, we did not. In fact we were rushed past the tabloid headlines proclaiming what we had done wrong without ever being given the chance to get near a screen to see the magazine covers.
The family ahead got to view a screen while they handed back their costumes. There were additional screens behind us in the corridor we’d just been rushed through, but we were not allowed to view them. The actor wanted to keep us together even though we could not see anything.
We were then sent into the talk show, not knowing what we were supposed to defend ourselves for. We need not have worried too much, as this was the chance to see the movie containing all the groups antics. Yes, clips from all of us in the group had been put together into one video. Ok if we knew each other, but not so good as we did not.
The End
We were sent out of the studio to the bar to await our award ceremony. While we waited we were able to view the digital photos from our trip and place orders for the photos and video.
I think they may have forgotten about us, as we did not end of the experience with a dedicated awards ceremony. Instead we waited ages and were about to leave the Entourage bar when the group behind us exited the TV studio. Suddenly, the acting team staged a joint awards ceremony for the two groups together.
Not the best ending to an experience designed to make you feel like a star!
Conclusion
Did we enjoy it? No I cannot say we did.
If you are going, go as a group. Preferably as a group of 6 or multiples of 6.
Do not go as a couple. Despite suggesting its perfect for couples and friends, finding yourself with a family does not make this an enjoyable experience for you or for them. “Looking for fun things to do in London with kids?” the website asks. Again, who wants a random couple in their video?
Escape rooms allow private bookings for two people in a room that takes up to six . This experience should do the same.
On the plus side, you are guided by professional actors who treat you like you’re a celebrity. They are really enthusiastic and have high energy throughout the show.
As the website says, you don’t sit, you walk through the show. The action is very fast paced. Having said that, we did not feel the need to look for chairs during the experience. To be fair, there are times you get to sit down anyway – on the sofa on TV, in the agents office etc.
The website says you will receive epic photos and videos of yourself that are perfect for sharing on social media. Actually you one photo of yourself on a mock up magazine cover. You can buy more photos of your experience. You can also purchase a copy of the video of your groups antics. As noted above, fine if you know the group but a video of you and some people who were randomly added to your group in the bar does not make it something you’d want to keep and share.
Do you need to be an extrovert? Well it helps. If you want to go as a couple or small group, the only option is to pick pop band. Anything else it seems you are going through most of the areas alone. Some people rise to the challenge. Some find being the center of attention hell. Its different being in an immersive experience as part of the show and being in an immersive experience as the MAIN part of the show. Not everyone likes that much attention.
Book your hour in the spotlight at Fame Factory
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