News

The Secret Garden Party Presents The Lost Lovers Ball

• 16th Dec 2010

After the resounding sell out success of the Bacchanalia Ball and the Winter Voyage at the Troxy last year, Secret Productions is proud to announce a very special and exclusive event for Valentine’s:

THE LOST LOVERS BALL: The Architecture of Love

It will take place over three nights at London's most atmospheric architectural building, Battersea Power Station, on Thursday 10th, Friday 11th and Saturday 12th February 2011.

Battersea Power Station is one of London’s most iconic landmarks and has been providing space for cultural, musical and political events alike for a number of years now. Since being decommissioned in 1983 it has appeared in many films including the Beatles’ ‘Help!’, Sir Ian Kellan’s Richard III, Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Sabotage’, Guy Ritchie’s ‘RocknRolla’ and Batman’s ‘The Dark Knight.’ It became an international cultural icon when it appeared on the cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals’ album with a giant inflatable pig tethered and floating between the Chimneys. Since then it has been with a giant inflatable pig. Since then it has been used to shoot music videos and album covers for the Jam, Greenday, Muse, Annie Lennox, Razorlight, David Gray, Tori Amos, Biffy Clyro, Rhianna and Boyzone. The Power Station site regularly holds large scale music events but only very recently has it opened its doors to events within the interior of the building.

At the LOST LOVERS BALL guests can transport themselves into a whole new world, exploring the memories of Eros, God of Love at this theatrical Valentine's happening. It will feature a whole variety of breathtaking performances, workshops and fine dining. With a dress code of TAINTED LOVE, you are encouraged to bring a memory of lost love, new love or desired love.

Each show will cater for an exclusive 1,000 participants in the Ballroom with a limited number of places available for a fine dining 3 course meal in the Restaurant.

As befits a Secret Productions event, this will be a never-to-be-forgotten experience with an array of visual and participatory arts and performances. Collectives such as: Bearded Kitten, Circus Kinetica, The Chocolate Harlots, Tax Deductable Theatre and Guerrilla Science Camp will be there, all regular participants at the Secret Garden Party. There will be workshops on the psychology of love (presented by The School of Life), the history and literature of love (from The Idler's Tom Hodgkinson) and the science of love (from Guerrilla Science). All aspects of love will be addressed! This will be the Valentine's event of the year, whether you are with partner or a free and single spirit.

Event tickets are priced at £49.50 including booking fee. Three-course meals are limited to 200 people on a first- come-first-served basis and priced at an additional £38 per head, including booking fee. Dinner will be served 7-9pm Doors for Ball 9pm–3am. Late licence subject to planning permission.

Tickets go on sale 4pm, Thursday 16th December from : link

After the overwhelming success of 2010's Secret Garden Party and the fantastic participation of all the Gardeners who attended we are very pleased to announce the Arts & Expression theme for 2011 will be

'ORIGINS AND FRONTIERS'

In 2011 the Arts & Expression theme will be transporting you into a world of origins and frontiers, sources and horizons. Through the myriad of live music, performance stages, spectacles, action camps and art installations your Garden will be exploring where we have come from and where we are going. Half the party will be dedicated to breaking boundaries, reckless advance, endeavour, innovation and the unknown…the passion for new frontiers. The other half will be dedicated to reconnecting with ourselves, our roots, our wild spirits…revelling in our rich and mysterious origins.

On a more practical note, The Head Gardeners' policy for 2011 will be 'more of everything' – facilities, welfare, security with no increase in capacity (17,000 ticket holders). Ongoing is a major landscaping programme: more grass for camping, more toilets, more water facilities. Each camping field will have its own Info & Welfare Station, where Gardeners can rendezvous, go for advice, shower, fill up with water. Security will be improved with higher fences, monitoring of campsites, and gates will have better access with twenty lanes for the man gate and a second new gate with ten lanes. Other developments are afoot as Head Gardener Fred Fellowes explains:

“The only thing more exciting than the bid for 4.33 (Cage Against The Machine) to make it as the Christmas Number One is the plans for landscaping, treehouse building and overall ‘holistic town planning’ that we are embarking on for the 2011 party – hi ho hi ho.”

Already the Head Gardeners are planning a feast of experiences. The Action Camps will answer the call of the creative with worlds of play and interactivity. The Garden's stages will explore both beginnings and horizons with the Artful Badger Woodland returning to Nature and The Remix Bubble providing a futuristic feast of DJs and the digital. There'll be The Debates and Discussion Tents engaging our never ending interest in our origins – DNA, language, the humble atom and the vast universe. And, they will explore the frontiers of the 21st Century – the human mind, ecological harmony, colonising space. The Fire Circle, The Big Burn and Parade will connect with our origins – fire, community, wild celebration whilst The Sanctuary will offer respite and a return to our source – spirit, simplicity, a slower circadian pace. Sculpture and Installation will explore the incredible journey visual art has taken, from the hues and dyes of cave painting to the front curve of modern art.

Tickets and full FAQs for SGP 2011 are available now from link priced £155 + booking fee.

Full Price Ticket – £155 + booking fee. Includes free programme

Family Camping Pass £20 (only available with adult ticket and Under 12's ticket – entitles parking, camping and entrance through Family Camping gate)

17 Years and under – £115 + booking fee. (Must be purchased with adult ticket and accompanied by a guardian over 21 and have photo id)

12 Years and under – FREE – with adult. (must have valid ticket. Applications with adult tickets)

Camper Vans – £50 – very limited space

Boutique Camping –link (includes private entrance,bellboys for luggage, exclusive use of showers and toilets, private pampering)

Finally, Secret Garden Party tickets, hand painted by Pete Loveday of Private Eye and the Garden's resident artist, come as limited editions if ordered before Christmas. They are festive themed and make an ideal Christmas gift – a stepping stone in that long journey to summer's deep green pastures.