The Salon Project, Barbican. ***

Fancy going to Salon in 19th century France in full costume and all its associated activities? Here is the chance. The audience gave their measurement before the show and everyone is dressed up to the glitter and splendour of 19th century Salon of which intellectual conversation, public speaking, music and art was meant to enlighten. The show does not try to pretend we are in the 19th century and although everyone is dressed up in full period glory, conversations with members of the company is always about the present, about how they got involved in the show and where the costumes come from. So it’s not immersive in a sense of period, make believe immersive, but immersive in the sense that we are trying to recreate a modern day version of the salon but in period clothing. In that sense, it has achieved that. If you feel energetic enough, there are interesting people to talk to, seemingly unlimited amount of fizzy wine. The music recital was adequate and the speeches, which is different every night, on first person experience on mental illness and another on neuroscience by an Oxford academic are certainly interesting. The show ended with a sense of history regarding the outbreak of first world war and the dissolution of this type of gatherings. The evening can certainly be liven up with more structure and flow as it seems stuttering at times. It certainly has some interesting elements to it as long as you understand the intent which some I spoke to seems to have a different preconception as to what it is.