Image supplied by the Science Museum
Last night we escaped from Frankenstein’s lab and I can tell you nothing about it. It’s a mystery and you need to figure it out yourselves. Also I may now be on the run from the law. Well maybe I’ll tell you a bit later. If you’re good.
“Good” wasn’t the word that sprang to mind when I got to Walthamstow Central and realised the Victoria line wasn’t working. Some other words sprang to mind in fact. Bad words. Having just got off the Liverpool Street train I wasn’t super keen to wait 15 minutes to get back on it so instead I crossed the car park and wandered down this very ominous looking passageway, which said “Pedestrians –>” in the kind of way that Papa Lazarou might put up a sign saying “Wives –>”.
I wasn’t optimistic about ever making it to Walthamstow Queens Road but I shouldn’t have doubted the oh so reliable GOBLIN line. I was in Upper Holloway in no time. Why Upper Holloway? No idea. Maybe cause it’s so scenic:
I made a spontaneous decision to catch the 43 down the road to Holloway Road, which might finally point me in the right direction for South Kensington. I was a touch late to meet Nathan but we were well in time for the main event of the evening – “Mystery in Frankenstein’s Lab” at the Science Museum.
We assembled near the Pattern Pod, at the far west end of the museum (I might have got that wrong. It’s the blue bit anyway). There were met 8 strangers who would be our accomplices in the grisliest of deeds.
Once we were upstairs outside the inflatable room, we were greeted by a lady who explained to us what was happening – Dr Frankenstein was missing and we needed to complete his life’s work. Like the good upstanding citizens we are, we refused to have anything to do with it. There was no grave robbing, no no.
What there was a mystery to solve and the way to solve them was through loads of science-based puzzles and experiments which gradually unlocked the secrets of the lab. We had 45 minutes to find all the….elements….the doctor required and we had to work together to make decisions and finish the experiment.
I’m glad to say we succeeded, although a few lives were lost along the way. It came right down to the last few minutes but intently staring at a table paid off and we figured it out just in time.
That’s as much as I’m going to tell you. I’ve probably told you too much already. What I will tell you is that it was tremendous fun and a real workout for the brain. The brain in your head, not the one in the jar. We totally bonded with those strangers, even though we can never speak of it again. It would make a great work outing as long as no one in your team is too squeamish.
Afterwards we had the option of going to Power Up, which would have been fab but we had a gig to go to. Yes, get us and our crazy social lives. The gig was in Islington which is not overly close to South Kensington but ironically is on the 43 route that I’d been on earlier. As we raced across London, we got a notification that the band weren’t on till 9.10. Phew!
The band were Five Grand Stereo, an unashamedly retro 6 piece, who wear their love of David Bowie on their tweedy sleeves. It was Nathan’s first time at a FGS gig and he was quite appreciative. There was some toe tapping. He didn’t strip to his undies like the groupie at the front but I think he was tempted.
I should probably say that we know the lead singer of this band from HP. In case you’re under the mistaken impression that we just hang out at cool gigs all the time. It’s more like one of us might go to a cool gig once a year. Rock n roll. I should also say that their debut album is out now.
So that was an interesting night. I would have liked to hang out at the Science Museum more – they were running a “Lates” session and the museum was full of adults with beers ambling around. Very different ambiance to the daytime school holiday vibe. But yknow, we have to maximise that babysitter time and if we can fit in an escape room AND a gig then why not?
For more information on the Mystery in Frankenstein’s Lab, have a look here. The experience is suitable for age 12+ but during Lates, it’s over 18s only.
