Here's a fuller review. Bear in mind there were about 1000 people there yesterday - that's half the number allowed in from today onwards, so when particular displays were busy today they'll be hellishly busy from now on in.
The venue
It's been 15 years since any of us were allowed into the Tropicana. It feels like progress to get in there at all - so, much credit to Banksy for that from grateful locals. It is in dreadful condition though.
Entrance and first impressions
I liked the fake security checkpoint. Everyone kept in character throughout and it was silly fun. I liked the always morose/depressed/miserable/moaning staff - it really worked on the contrary spirit in me, had a big broad smile on my face the whole way round. As you get out of security and into the main arena there's a van in the way selling souvenir programmes, and it all gets rather clogged up. Best to take a sharp right as soon as you are out of the security doors to avoid the crush. Once you've done that the overwhelming impression is that the whole thing is a load of tat.
That's deliberate of course (as can be seen by the sharp contrast with the indoor display space, which has been very well presented, but more of that later).
The central castle aside, though, it really doesn't feel like it is merely a Disney slag-off. Rather, it's a slag-off of theme parks/fairgrounds etc in general.
Bits that are difficult to get into:
- the museum of cruel things (or something like that) at the back right got massive queues very early on (and I was about the 200th person in) - I never did get in there, as I had to get back to the shop for the afternoon
- same goes for the circus tent thing at the far left. Didn't get in there either
- the bar. Not that it was particularly busy, but because it is on the roof. To find it turn sharp right from the entrance, follow signs for the toilets ("BOGS") and go up the stairs on the right. There's a good view from up there too.
General atmosphere of the exhibits: it's all very protest-y - anti establishment, anti-government, anti-tory anti an awful lot of things - with very little that's new or interesting from that point of view. Very late 1960s feel to much of it. That is, I gather, the in thing now - though it does come across rather extremely and irritatingly self-importantly preachy.
General atmosphere of the crowds: a lot of people having rather a lot of fun! There's lots to do and see and ride on and in and trip over and suchlike. A grand day out. It is warming to be with so many people enjoying themselves amidst such a gloomy atmosphere (which I suspect is a riff on Weston-super-Mare and decayed seaside resorts in general).
Odd things about the opening day particularly: There were a lot of TV crews around, and it was sometimes quite difficult to avoid getting in someone's shot by accident (that's how I accidentally reversed into a giant killer whale, which was something of a surprise).
Stuff in the outdoor arena
Working roughly anticlockwise from the entrance. I'm doing this from memory so I might miss some stuff out
- some tatty wooden constructions that aren't even nice to look at and I couldn't see the point of until later on I discovered the rooftop bar that you can work the puppets from - so I spent some time up there entertaining the folks below
- the pocket money payday loans thing. One of the few exhibits that made a relatively topical point in a fresh and interesting way. It is tiny though, you can only fit about 4 people inside. Contains the best poster in the whole exhibition, but I'm not telling you which one.
- Crazy golf. There might be some point to this other than just being a crazy golf course, but I'm not sure what it is. Spent some time trying to wind up the attendant. Failed dismally, but did par a few holes.
- big-ass sandcastle with windmill on top. Silly and fun. Also a sandpit for playing in, so go play in it like I did! Pointless just looking at it, it’s a sandpit.
- a tent containing an anarchist bookshop, some questionable statistics about deaths in police custody and a whole lot of posters for flyposting on the wall behind. I flyposted my own instead because, hey, it's not real flyposting if you only post what they say you can post.
- a giant scaffolding horse that you don't really notice from ground level. It's rather impressive if you climb up the steps at the back so you can see it properly.
- the museum of cruel things that I didn't get to see because of being too crowded.
- A fun-looking ferris wheel going round at about four times the usual speed. They wouldn't let me on it being as there is only one of me and I would apparently have unbalanced it and made it fall over.
- a little library with comfy chairs outside, good for a rest
- Punch and Judy with added Jimmy Savile. This *could* have been excellent but badly let down by the execution as (a) Julie Burchill has no sense of theatre or timing and (b) the performer was crap. Give that one a miss. Thank me afterwards.
- Video theatre (back left). Absolutely excellent video installations, and no better place to see them than sitting on deckchairs in the sun. Enjoyed v much.
- spoof fairground booths. A bit hit-and-miss – for example the catch the oil-stained-duck thing would have been pointed and relevant in 1968 but waste of space now. On the other hand, it is surprisingly good uninhibited fun trying to knock over an anvil with ping pong balls.
- that Ariel statue is very effective and weird. Catches your eye from all around and just meddles with the reality enough that you are drawn back to it.
- Cinderella coach crash is surprisingly effective. Given all the publicity I’d expected no more than a passing look, but the way the whole thing is laid out really adds to the experience, it is *very* well done and effective, but I won’t describe it any more here because spoilers.
- Killer whale/toilet/hoop meh, except it took me by surprise when I backed into it.
Plus, *lots* of places to just sit and enjoy, feed and water and so on.
Forgot to mention the sculptures. Brilliant picnic tables. The big truck thing is too damn big.
Indoor exhibition
Too much to do it all in detail, so highlights only. Maybe 80% of it didn’t do anything for me (but then, 80% of the Louvre doesn’t either). Too much is trite (ohh yeah, lets paint the cut ends of trees red so it looks like they are bleeding – that sort of trite, though a lot of it is very well executed.)
Death on a dodgem is fun and silly.
Damien fucking Hirst utterly spoils the second room. That rotating beach ball over knives looks nice enough, but the fan used to keep it up is too fucking loud.
Of the paintings, I got caught up in front of two big ones by Laura Lancaster. Wow. Chances are you’ll get caught up in front of something too, but it’ll be something different. There’s a *lot* of variety in there. Honourable mentions to Lee Madgwick and Caroline McCarthy and Joanna Pollonais and Jani Leinonen, thumbs down to a few others.
Don’t go out of the exit when you get to it or you will miss something special. Instead go through the unmarked door ahead of you to see Jimmy Cauty’s miraculous cityscape. I could have spent four or five hours in this room alone.
That’s all I can remember for now.
I’ll be going back again for sure. Probably a few times. Definitely at night.
Whoaaaa can u mail me a souvineer lol
Sure. PM me your name and address and I will mail you the souvenir programme.