When we think of masked balls, most of us envisage scenes in the Tom Cruise / Stanley Kubrick film Eyes Wide Shut but, thankfully, the more innocent masquerade ball is making a comeback.
The Great Masked Ball is London’s immersive Swan Lake experience that the Guardian says will make you “feel like you were at the centre of an arctic gale with frost on your chin”. Perfect for some respite from these balmy temperatures, then!
Fusing dance, theatre, feasting, fantasy and a live orchestra into one enthralling whole, The Grand Masked Ball fuses a fairytale masquerade and the story of Swan Lake. From the Lost Estate, this production features a feast curated by Masterchef Champion Tim Anderson, a masquerade dance and an adventure through the world of Swan Lake with a cast of actors, dancers and a live orchestra.
Ensure you’re suitably dressed as your finest attire is requested (black tie or fairytale kingdom – no Elsa from Frozen costumes please) and definitely bring a mask. If you get stuck, a master costumier will be on-site so browse the online shop and place your order before you arrive: https://greatmaskedball.com/mask/
Before you enter Prince Siegfried’s Palace and waltz through its glittering halls, be sure to take in the set by designers from Planet Gingerline, Beauty and the Feast, and the Alice’s Adventures Underground bar.
You could wind up dancing with the prince and his libertine attendants and help the queen find his new bride while sampling a delicious banquet courtesy of Masterchef Champion Tim Anderson.
Prepare to be whisked away along with this fairytale and taken to the enchanted forest beyond the palace, with weird and wonderful music hanging in the air… But stay vigilant as, amid this world of revelry and seduction, there’s no telling of what may come…
The covers for the show have reopened again and 4,500 people have already booked their place but only 250 more can join.
The gates open at 7pm each night until 11th August at a secret London location so be sure to grab a ticket before they are all gone.
Photos by Al Overdrive and Polly Swann