Victorian Cyberpunk in The Royal Albert Hall

I've had my fair share of wild experiences on set, but one of the most unforgettable had to be shooting for the legendary Cirque Du Soleil at the Royal Albert Hall. Picture this: a mix of Victorian elegance and cyberpunk madness, all set against the backdrop of a sweltering London heatwave. It was as bizarre as it sounds, and every bit as thrilling.

Our shoot coincided with the hottest days London had ever seen, right in the middle of Proms season. This meant night shoots, and let me tell you, trying to catch some sleep during the day in over 40-degree heat was no joke. I ended up barricading myself in a dark room with fans blasting, trying to snatch some sleep before heading out to set.

We were there to promote "Kurious," Cirque Du Soleil's mesmerizing new show. It's a dive into a crazy steampunk world where dystopian Sci-Fi meets Victorian elegance - each costume being more extraordinary than the last. My personal favourite was the whimsical 'Plunger' who played a starring role in our film - more on him later...

The Plunger

The Royal Albert Hall itself was an adventure to navigate. Its maze-like corridors had me walking over 50,000 steps in one night, trying to keep pace with the demands of our shoot. But it was worth it. The shoot was a great success and the performers were nothing short of magical - bringing their characters to life with a palpable energy.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get more bizarre, we got an extra brief: to film the Plunger Character in central London for social media content. With a tight budget but needing to make it work, I found myself stepping into the Plunger costume and mingling with the crowds in Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square! It was only after the fact that I realised everyone could see my face behind the mask... It was surreal, to say the least. Especially when I, dressed as this crazy Victorian robot, saw the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, on his way to parliament. I won't ever forget the look on his face when he saw me - I think he thought I was some kind of crazy political protest!

Looking back, working on this project with Cirque Du Soleil was a rollercoaster of intense, bizarre, and incredibly rewarding experiences. It epitomises the wild ride that is our industry, filled with moments of creativity, tenacity, and sometimes, outright madness.

*Disclaimer: The events and experiences discussed in this blog post are from the writer's previous role and do not reflect the activities or projects of Qualia Film Co.