Everyman Enchanted Pictures at the Old Vic Tunnels

Please note I’ve only awarded a single star as I’m not permitted to award none!! This was by far the most awful event I have ever wasted money on in London. You have been warned. I always take reviews with a pinch of salt, but having attended the Old Vic Tunnels yesterday afternoon, I feel it is my duty to suggest you either give this a miss, or you ask for a refund. You'll see what I mean once you arrive at the venue. Strangely enough, I only found one review for the company behind the event, that suggested they had badly underdelivered on a nightclub cabaret, but I found no proper (good or bad) reviews for this cinema event. I therefore took a gamble, and really regret it. The entire place smelt badly of damp (although what do you expect, it’s a tunnel in London!) as well as other odours probably used to try to mask the damp smell. There was no 'falling snow', the 'alpine forest' comprised of sparsely placed 3 foot high pine trees strategically placed to hide the appalling lack of refurbishment; the 'wide array of après food stalls' were limited to a poorly maintained hot dog stand, a watery mulled wine stand (I didn't try the cider), and a bar selling not too fresh cupcakes and watery cocktails (pomegranate and watery prosecco). There were no 'intimate log cabins', no 'home-made pizzas' nor 'roasted chestnuts' as advertised on the Everyman website. There was some heating at the rear of the cinema but nowhere else and the unfortunate smell of damp was relentless. You also heard the rumble of trains in Waterloo station above over the cinema soundtrack (perhaps to be expected). If your first impressions on entering the venue are poor, rest assured things only get worse inside (note for event holders: shabby, dirty and dilapidated does not equal distressed chic or retro). The ‘volcanic lakes’ include a plywood walkway over dirty water with a couple of 2 foot high mounds of plastic in the water (presumably inactive volcanoes?!). There is also a plastic 'volcano' with dry ice and a foul smell emanating from the top that looks more like a 6 foot high rubbish tip, and there was no 'northern lights installation. I only waste my time giving reviews when moved to do so by the most appalling experiences, in the dim hope that some poor schmuck like me might read it before booking, or at least before going. Don't get me wrong, I can slum it with the best of them, having been a student in London for several years I know how 'gritty' it can be, but shame on you Everyman for being associated with such a blatant rip-off. As for the idea of taking children? Only if you're content to risk them contracting some sort of respiratory complaint. This is unfortunately neither 'enchanting' nor a 'Wonderland'. Ok, rant over. Time to get on with Christmas - although, I’d love someone to place a review either confirming or denying my take on things. I would have left a review on the Everyman site, but they don't have that facility (I wonder why).