Illusionaries

Just reading the ‘about’ part of the Illusionaries website is a pretty transcendent experience. You’ll be promised that you’ll get to navigate “the enchanted nexus of art and illusion”, and in doing so “prepare to be left breathless by dazzling, thought-provoking illusions that challenge your perception of reality.”

So, basically, you’re going to see some mind-blowing sh*t.

And in fairness to the creators, you need to sell a show like this as a transformative experience because A) it helps to build expectation and anticipation in an interesting way without spoiling it by telling everyone precisely what’s in store, and B) it sounds cool.

So, with that in mind, what precisely is in store? Well, you’ll find it at the fancy Crossrail Place in Canary Wharf, where it’ll open from late June until the end of September. The creators are billing it as ‘the UK’s first story-based immersive art experience’, which we can’t argue with. The show itself is still mostly under wraps at present, but you can roughly expect to find it all framed around a narrative titled ‘Memories of a Dead Poet’, which has been put together by resident artist Arash Irandoust.

The story will be told in three parts, with each part getting its own huge, all-digital, perpetually moving gallery space. First up, the ‘Epilogue’ will be in a room filled entirely with a 360-degree projection that introduces you to the main character. Then, the next room (‘Before the meaning comes’) will be asked full of infinity mirrors, showing the character’s life. And Finally, the ‘Primordial gardeners’ will be an altogether more intimate experience, that uses tranquil soundscapes and light projections shining through a mist to bring you to the story’s conclusion.

All told it’ll take roughly 40 minutes to experience, and should be absolutely packed with mind bending, otherworldly imagery & acoustics.

Perfect for your lunch-break.

NOTE: Illusionaries will be open between 22nd June and 24th September 2023. You can find out more, and book a ticket (£38) at the website right here.

Illusionaries | Crossrail Pl, Canary Wharf, E14 5AR

If you like this… you’ll probably like Frameless, too