An Inside Look: London’s VAULT Festival 2019
Last weekend, we went to VAULT Festival 2019, and we have been sharing our experiences here on Theatre Trip through three different blog posts. While we were there, we were lucky enough to see Balaklava Blues, Counting Sheep, and A Wake in Progress. And on our last day in London, we got to top off our experience by experiencing our first ever Silent Disco Show!
* VAULT Festival is highly recommended by Theatre Trip, so we are awarding them a ⭐ !
Location: London, England
Our experience at the VAULT Festival in 2019:
VAULT Festival is an arts and entertainment festival that takes place annually in Waterloo, London. They are now in their 7th year, and they are going strong. This year alone, they are hosting 400+ shows from over 2000+ artists! How crazy is that?
What stood out to me was the way that the festival was set up. The events were scattered throughout Waterloo and put on at different venues. But most of the action was underground. What seems to be a simple door in the middle of a graffiti-filled tunnel is actually the portal to the heart of the festival.
And just inside the door is something special. The interior is similar to a movie theatre layout. As you walk down the hallway, theatre doors are everywhere. And each one comes with a schedule detailing what shows are going on that night. But just a warning – this hallway walk will bring out the “FOMO” in anyone! As I walked, I began to regret the fact that we were only there for the weekend. I wanted to see everything.
Our experience at The Silent Disco Show:
Thankfully the shows we chose were absolute winners. And our whole weekend was topped off with a super fun Silent Disco Show by TheProducersUK. You have probably heard of silent discos by now. But this was no ordinary silent disco. It was a silent disco party mixed with live entertainment! So throughout the night, we got to watch burlesque, hula hooping, fire eating, and other fun surprises.
And the whole experience was even more special because we had Darren Hart (aka Hartman)➝ as our DJ. By the way, if you are unsure of how a silent disco party works, everyone is given a pair of headphones, and you get to choose the music that you’d like to listen and dance to. There are three channels for your enjoyment.
And the coolest part? Your headphones light up with a certain color based on the channel you’re listening to, which means you always know who is listening to what music. As a special surprise for our readers, we’d like to present our exclusive interview with Darren Hart – aka Hartman!
Theatre Trip’s Interview with Darren Hart – aka Hartman
Darren is such an inspiring person – especially since he is both a professional actor and an amazing DJ. He’s living proof that acting can be applied to an infinite number of disciplines and industries. If you’re juggling more than one passion in life, here are some words of wisdom.
Theatre Trip: The variety of projects that you’re working on is inspiring! At what point did you first discover your love for acting?
Darren: Thank you for saying that. I discovered my love for acting very early. Primary school in fact. Drama excited me, and I loved doing assemblies and school productions.
Theatre Trip: Would you say that your background in acting has been helpful for your DJing career?
Darren: 100%. I am a performing DJ. When you DJ, all eyes are all you! You can win or lose a crowd in seconds. The confidence I gained as an actor really helps in this arena. When you pick the right song and the dance floor goes crazy, it’s like getting your standing ovations in a show.
Theatre Trip: Do you have any pre-show rituals or ways that you pump yourself up before stepping onstage as a Silent Disco DJ?
Darren: Nothing crazy. I just like a minute to myself. To tell myself to go and do what I love to do. I just trust my gut and enjoy it. Then I pick my first tune.
“There are no rules saying you must only do one thing. So if you are passionate about something, and have time to make it happen, do it.”
Theatre Trip: Do you have any advice for those who are also interested in pursuing multiple artistic projects?
Darren: I would say not to limit yourself. A good friend of mine told me that “There are no real limits, just the limit of your own imagination. So dream big.” And I live by that thinking. There are no rules saying you must only do one thing. So if you are passionate about something, and have time to make it happen, do it.
Theatre Trip: What’s next for you?
Darren: Next I am doing a few silent discos at the natural history museum. Acting-wise I will be on Netflix next month in “Turn up Charlie”, and then on CBeebies in “Apple Tree House”. So I’m trying to keep busy. Hoping to do more silent disco shows around the country and maybe overseas too – my passport is always ready.
Did you go to VAULT Festival 2019?
We’d love to hear about the shows you’ve seen in the comments below! And in the meantime, feel free to check out our blog post archive of past theatre visits for some insight on what’s going on in theaters around the world.
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* A special thanks to VAULT Festival and The Silent Disco Show for inviting us to the shows!
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Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.