Broken flux capacitor? Secret Cinema fans furious after show cancelled

No show: Friends Matthew Bowen, Alice Albery and Nick Street in fancy dress in Hackney Wick after the cancellation. Photograph: Matthew Bowen

Film fans were left crushed yesterday as the opening night of Secret Cinema’s show Back to the Future was cancelled by the organisers 90 minutes before it was due to start.

Fans of the 1985 science fiction film were left wandering Hackney, many dressed in fifties fancy dress, after being instructed to meet at Hackney Wick Station where they would be whisked off to the hotly-anticipated immersive cinema experience.

Secret Cinema received a torrent of angry comments on social media, with many complaining they had travelled long distances to see the show.

Ticket-holder Matthew Bowen, from Bristol, had booked the show with his two friends who had flown over from Cambodia. He told the Hackney Citizen: “We spent the day trawling charity shops to buy our costumes, and find the props that we had been asked to bring – a family photograph, sunglasses, and a stopwatch.

“When we arrived we were greeted by a young steward, who we all felt very sorry for, who asked whether we had received the email sent 90 minutes before. We had not checked our emails for hours because we had been preparing for the event.”

“We were very surprised that none of the senior Secret Cinema team had bothered to show up, given the situation and the risk to their reputation.”

Mr Bowen said he had sent a letter of complaint to the organisers but that his friends are due to fly back to Cambodia so the trio will be unable to reschedule.

Fabien Riggall, founder of Secret Cinema said yesterday: “We are devastated to have to make this announcement and we appreciate everyone who has made plans for tonight’s event. We are doing everything we possibly can.”

All ticket-holders for last night’s show were offered either a ticket for another date or a full refund for the £53.50 tickets.

In the absence of a full explanation from Secret Cinema, Back to the Future fans are speculating it might have been a result of a broken flux capacitor, or that it was going to be “just too darn loud”.

Update 

Secret Cinema have announced that tonight’s performance will also be cancelled.

In a statement they said: “Unfortunately we have no choice but to cancel tonight’s performance. Secret Cinema has been running safe arts events for 10 years and on this occasion we have come across a number of difficult issues.

“As you can imagine we are hugely disappointed and share the immense frustration you are all feeling.

“The site is finished and looking spectacular and we are working around the clock to ensure that all issues are ironed out as soon as possible in order to give ticket holders an amazing night.”