Blackpool. Interior. Day.

Our narrator sits with his girl in a room called the Ice House. This room is nestled in the Winter Gardens, and is an escape from the madness outside. The temperature speaks more of steam than ice, but the mood is nostalgic, and the atmosphere calm.

In a larger room next door literally thousands of magicians jostle each other for room to buy the latest gimmick, or the shiniest toy. Here however, is the real treasure. A lecture titled ‘100 years of musichall’, by Duggie Chapman.

We are probably the youngest couple in the room, but not at heart. The people here know the songs, and sing along. He talks us through things, and introduces us to a variety of variety acts. He points out a nuance here, or a detail there, never tipping the punchline…just enhancing your enjoyment of the film you are about to watch.

For instance, the letter M is the hardest letter for a ventriloquist, and plosive words like ‘bottle of beer’ are exceptionally difficult.

There’s this line in ‘The Dreamers’ that sums this experience up for me. It’s when Matt meets Isabelle and Theo at the Battle of the Cinémathèque.

Isabelle: Theo and I never watch television. We’re purists.

Experiences like this make me want to be more of a purist too.