Living Fantasia – Sounds and Sorcery

This summer from 3rd July to 30th September 2018 The Vaults presents Sounds and Sorcery, a new and exciting immersive music concert experience, inspired by Disney Fantasia.  Why? as Micky Mouse is celebrating 90 years this year so it is in celebration to Disney and Mickey.

Sounds and Sorcery

This is a production inspired and taken from the original 1940 movie Disney Fantasia.

If you have never seen Disney Fantasia it is a full length animation movie which features Mickey Mouse who is an aspiring magician who oversteps his mark.  The movie embraces such areas as prehistoric times, the four seasons, nature, hell/heaven, the themes of light vs darkness and chaos vs order, dancing animals, classical mythology, and legend.  All whilst being accompanied with Western classical music all played out by Philadelphia Orchestra which Leopold Stokowski conducts.

However note Sounds and Sorcery will not feature footage of the iconic film, nor will the original film be screened as this is a take on the classic Disney Fantasia.

Instead guests will be taken on a magical journey like no other through a series of stunning theatrically designed installations with a mix of technology and light along with a mix of staged performances all whilst listing to the sounds of Disney Fantasia through headphones.

Watch a sneak peak of this magical show

This event is produced, staged and managed by The Vaults Production Company Ltd trading as The Vaults. It is not produced, staged or otherwise managed by Disney. Disney Fantasia is a trade mark of The Walt Disney Company and used under licence.

My magical journey

I and some other community members of Love Pop Ups London had the opportunity from Sounds and Sorcery to attend a preview night into the world of Fantasia.

This blog is based on my second experience as I have been before but as I missed one of the main shows I returned with my friend Joice to relive Sounds and Sorcery take on Fantasia.

“Hot dog! Well, hiya, Pal! Say, are ya’ ready to have some fun?”

Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey Mouse,

Upon signing in we are then given a set of headphones and an i-pod. We then await for our time slot to be called.  Now it was time for us to take in the sounds of Fantasia and explore an extraordinary world.

As the routes and stories are not set in a fixed order you can explore the space freely and watch the shows, wander into the different spaces in your own way at your own pace.

However firstly it was time to take in visual images and listen to the sounds of Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach’s music

Entering into the first room before adventuring further into the Sounds and Sorcery we are told to lay back and take in and watch a stunning visual projection of abstract and semi-abstract forms of images and instruments intertwining into each other whilst listening to ‘Toccata and Fugue in D Minor’ composed by Johann Sebastian Bach.

The Nutcracker Suite

Now onto exploring.  Last time their was no signage but since then this has been fixed.

You can either watch a take on the dance of the ballerina hippo, walk through a dark prehistoric wasteland, seek out fairies in an enchanted forest, experience the magical delights of the Sorcerer’s lair and visit the spooky Bare Mountain.

“If you don’t know where you want to go, then it doesn’t matter which path you take.”

The Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)

I am told that most people take around 90 minutes to explore, listen and see everything.

Bach’s music

Sorcerer’s Apprentice (show)

This performance is based on the dangers of power over wisdom.

Whilst listening through the headphones the soundtrack ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ composted by Paul Dukas we watch as a Sorcerer practices his spells whilst the young apprentice magicians are set to do tiring tasks of filling the large water vat in the cavern with buckets of water and mop the floor.  However when the Sorcerer leaves the young apprentices start to cause mischief and dabble in spells themselves.  Overpowered by magic the brooms then take control with the apprentices dramatically trying to stop the chaos of water flinging everywhere, even over the audience.  The Sorcerer then makes a dramatic appearance at the top of the stairway just in time. With five sweeps of his hands, he stops the chaos.

This performance took my mind back to the amazing scene from Fantasia when Mickey Mouse causes havoc.

This is a great fun performance to watch but be warned you will get very wet if you sit in front.

Fairy flower garden heaven (room)

This room is based loosely around the dance sequence from the movie celebrating nature through the changing seasons (from summer to winter) from large colour flowers to colour changing mushrooms where fairies may reside.

Whilst exploring this room the music played through the headphones is ‘The Nutcracker Suite’ composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

I felt like Tinkerbell venturing on through a garden of fantasy where fairies live.

Meet mermaids (room)

This room is based on Greek mythology.

I faced a waterfall with flower heads falling within whilst listening to ‘Symphony No.6 (Pasoral)’ composed by Ludwig van Beethoven which made me feel really chilled.

Then I ventured up above the waterfall and watched a mermaid swimming a merry dance.  Arial the Little Mermaid came to my mind.

The Rite of Spring (room)

Entering into this dark volcanic room whilst listening to the soundtrack ‘Rite of Spring’ composed by Igor Stravinsky I felt like I had been transported to a prehistoric era.

This room is all about our planet Earth from the billions of years of geological creation. There is rumbles of an earthquake, noises of volcanic eruptions, thunder and lightning making this room feel very atmospheric and dramatic.

It also depicts the age of dinosaurs as a dinosaur egg sits within side this room.

“Question I wonder which dinosaur may of laid the large egg?”

I would of loved to of met some dinosaurs though.

The Dance of Hours (show)

This is a performance played out to the music of ‘Dance of the Hours’ composed by Amilcare Ponchielli.

This show is a hilarious take on the animal ballet which is shown in Fantasia which is performed by a group of animals from hippos to alligators.

The man who plays the hippo is particularly funny prancing around in her tutu during a solo dance segment.

“Will you be able to figure out who might be portraying which animals?”

Plus you can venture up above and watch from the amongst the clouds the performance, mechanically control the clouds, dress up a mannequin or even get creative and draw.

Finale A Night on Bare Mountain 

This is the final scene before exiting Sounds and Sorcery.  It is a short movie about evil and death.  The Black God Chernobog appears at certain parts overlooking spirits who have arose from the ground who are dancing a salute to him. As the night nears the end the dancing spirits draw back into the ground. The sky lightens and peace returns.  This is all about how light triumphs over darkness and goodness over evil all whilst listening to ‘A Night on Bald Mountain’ composed by Modest Mussorgsky and ‘Ave Maria’ composed by Franz Schubert.

It was now time to walk through the forest to exit the wonder of Sounds and Sorcery.

However before leaving the adventure behind me I just had to get a photo with the Mickey Mouse ears which are just outside the exit.

“Is it an immersive event? Is it a performance? Is it an exhibition? or maybe a light and sound showcase?  For me it is living Fantasia…..”

Verdict

If you are looking to be transported into the world of Fantasia, from fairy like gardens to volcanoes and experience dancing animals to out of control buckets and mops then you’ll love this magical take on Fantasia. Even though there is no Mickey Mouse or any other Disney character to be seen, there is still a Disney ambiance, which immediately evokes nostalgia.

For me personally my favourite room was the fairy garden and my favourite show was The Sorcerer’s Apprentice as both fun and visually stunning.

No matter how young or old you are this is an exhilarating and absorbing way of exploring and listening to music of Disney Fantasia, let the sorcery begin!

“Not really a concert, not a vaudeville or a revue, but a grand mixture of comedy, fantasy, ballet, drama, impressionism, colour, sound and epic fury”

Walt Disney, 1941

Book

3rd July to 30th September 2018

Tickets have allocated time enry:
Family times are from 6.30pm – 7.30pm and matinee shows 1.30pm – 2.30pm
Adult only time slots are allocated between 7.00pm – 8.30pm and matinee shows 2.00pm – 3.30pm

Advice:
The end cinematic show might not be suitable for some young children.
Some of the sets and scenes are dark
There are flashing lights in certain areas

To book click here.

“Venture outside your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it.”

Rapunzel (Tangled)

So don’t be a dumbo and book.

 

Thank you to Sounds and Sorcery for letting me and some others from Love Pop Ups London come down to explore and discover the world of Fantasia. This experience was complimentary from them but all views are my own honest opinion.

Click link below to read others latest blogs/reviews of their experience of Sounds and Sorcery.  All their views are of their own honest opinions.

Sounds and Sorcery