The Moonwalkers, Lightroom, London

Off to the smoke this morning to see The Moonwalkers: A Journey With Tom Hanks which was an exploration of the Apollo moon landings with videos and pictures projected on to huge walls at a place called Lightroom.

I thought that it was going to be several connected rooms that you walked through but it turned out to be a single room and was like being inside a giant cube. I also thought that it was a rolling performance and so the fact that I missed the first five minutes (thanks GWR) wouldn’t matter but we all got turfed out at the end. I only missed JFK’s speech but I would have liked to have seen it all.

Given that this was the first showing on a Saturday morning the place wasn’t too full, probably 50 maximum including a number of very young children who were having fun dancing in and out of the shadows. There were a number of rather unforgiving benches to sit on facing the main screen and cushions for those that want to lie on the floor. I couldn’t see much point in that as there wasn’t anything projected on the ceiling but still people did. There is also a mezanine which gives you a good view of the front wall but from here you wouldn’t see the back and some of the side projections. I elected for one of the benches.

Boldly Go

I did arrive in time to see the launch at least which was pretty spectacular as not only did it make use of the full wall but also the sound was blasted out with a thumping bass. The soundtrack then reduced to a whisper as the craft reached beyond the atmosphere of Earth.

The performance was narrated by Tom Hanks and the accompanying soundtrack written especially for the show by Anne Nikitin worked really well enhancing rather than detracting from what was on screen.

The show relies on the vast archive of Apollo pictures and videos all of which are in the public domain. Sometimes a single picture will be spread across three walls while at other times a montage will be show forcing you to scan all around you to get the full picture.

Also shown were images and short audio interviews with the crew of Artemis II which is due to launch November 2025 and will be the first crewed mission to the moon since 1972.

I have to admit that I got shivers while watching the landing and thinking both what an amazing achievement this was and that it happened in my lifetime. My parents tell me that they kept me up to watch the landing. Unsurprisingly I don’t remember it being only four which is a great shame.

I found the whole showing incredibly moving and shows what humanity can achieve when set ambitious goals.

Right I’m off to watch the films Apollo 13 and First Man!