by Amanda Briggs

For months now, the huge building that houses Woking’s theatre and cinema has stood sombrely empty; a monument to self-isolation and the adherence to Covid mitigations. No posters or show bills to rouse excitement as you walk past, no glittery promotions of a forthcoming pantomime. Just a reminder of how life has changed, sparking memories of good times spent there in the rapidly receding ‘normal’ world. 

Well, the good news is that far from being extinct or even dormant, while we have been sitting quietly at home gorging on box sets to satiate our need for entertainment and distraction from the maddening world, the long awaited and, let’s face it, much needed renovation of the cinema has taken place.

Opening night, October 16, like in popular home make-over programmes, was the big reveal.  Although there were no tears, there were audible gasps of awe and appreciation at the impressive transformation which has taken place. No expense has been spared, it seems, but much more than that, is the thought that has gone into making it a hub of entertainment for all the community for the future.

It has much more of an independent cinema feel to it, rather than the traditional vast and soulless American-style complexes that we have come to expect. Soft lighting and colour schemes, sectioned off seating areas with a food and drink area and separate bar, make it much more intimate and conducive to small gatherings and pre-show meetings with friends.

The number of screens has increased from six to seven to cater for more diverse showings and audiences. Seating is new, plush and spacious, and has taken into consideration the rake – a new term I’ve learned – which means no more annoying heads in front of you obscuring your view of the screen.  All screens and seating areas are fully accessible, with the addition of a spacious and fully-fitted changing places room.

More diverse food and drink options have been added to the normal cinema fare of sweet drinks and neon tooth-aching confectionery; posh popcorn, a  range of regular and more healthy snacks including vegan hotdogs and smoothies, a variety of coffees and a full bar.  We tried the hotdogs, popcorn and nachos, which were a cut above normal expectations of cinema food.

The management team that welcomed us on the opening night were nervously proud of their accomplishments, and rightly so. Going ahead with this transformation in these ever-changing times, in a sector that has cruelly hit by the virus must have been a bold decision. But they have clearly taken the new social restructuring that is evolving into consideration, as well as the impact of the virus on the entertainment industry as a whole. There will be fewer big new releases coming out in the next couple of years, so showings will be augmented based on customer choice and previously popular or award-winning movies.  Viewers are able to select films from previously released options, on the cinema’s central booking site. One of the first showings was Parasite, this year’s big Oscar winner, that was obscured from audiences in the first wave of the pandemic. Even better, there will be more bespoke options for different audiences; a mums and tots screen, ‘Silver Nova’ options for more mature audiences,  and ‘Super-Nova’ for the blockbuster lovers.

On opening night, on Screen 1, we were thrilled to see Gravity in 3D, where the full impact of Dolby sound and vision was fully appreciated. Whilst we have come to enjoy watching such films from the comfort of our sofa, there is nothing like being fully immersed in a full, spine-tingling cinematic experience – and something we shouldn’t forget. The revamped cinema is most definitely worth the visit, or rather, the experience.  Upcoming showings provide a broad choice, from kids favourites during half-term week to opera, ballet and National Theatre productions.

Check out the new website or via social media at Facebook.com/NovaWoking, Instagram.com/NovaWoking, and Twitter.com/NovaWoking