Affinity was driven up the green carpet by Piers Guy in Leicester Square yesterday evening, as part of the solar-powered premiere of ‘The Age of Stupid’ - a new eco-documentary starring Pete Postlethwaite. Celebs arrived on foot, bicycle, bike rickshaw, public transport and in electric and biodiesel cars. Every part of the event – from power sources, to food, to transport, to ink, to clothing – was genuinely green and the film was shown in a solar-powered tent in the middle of Leicester Square.
The truth is in there...
Numerous celebrities posed for photos with Affinity, including Gillian Anderson, Pete Postlethwaite, Vivienne Westwood, Ken Livingstone and Alastair Campbell. As an additional stunt, Ken Livingstone decided to try and play with Affinity’s canopy, causing many watching CUER members to attempt to frantically clamber over the barrier to stop him. Jonathan and Anthony were, of course, too busy rubbing shoulders with the stars to notice for a while. Not that we’re bitter.
It was a tremendous day for all. Photographer Chris was well-placed (about 2ft above the rest of the crowd) to get some excellent shots (see his photos of the event) while Mark P was finally able to openly indulge his love of KT Tunstall by screaming adoringly at her until she signed a flyer. Lucy was less thrilled to have to pretend to be a Will Young fan, and got over the traumatising experience by getting Scully’s Gillian Anderson’s autograph after the show.
It is debatable who had the more enjoyable time. Those of us not deemed important enough to merit an actual ticket to the premiere (seriously, not bitter at all, honest) were instead treated to a fantastic meal by Kento’s parents at their restaurant (Kiku in Mayfair – visit if you get a chance! Given five CUER stars by some very hungry team members…) the highlight of which was DEFINITELY watching Mark learn to use chopsticks for the first time. Amazing how many highly educated polite persons are reduced to the level of a blind monkey when faced with two sticks and some peanuts…
Disaster later struck when Evan and Lucy were summoned back to the premiere as fast as their legs could carry them due to an “emergency”. Useful fact #1 - do not ever try to sprint from Mayfair to Leicester Square on a full stomach. It is not of an enjoyable nature. It is even less enjoyable to arrive there only to realise that, actually, the emergency was that Pip couldn’t get her car out from behind the Land Cruiser. Many words were uttered.
Late into the night the valiant team stayed chatting to passers-by in an attempt to scrounge some Friends (are YOU a Friend of CUER? You should be!) and, in one horrific case, rush to explain in little words to a rather large and inebriated girl that, actually, of all the places to drunkenly cease to support your own weight, right on top of a very expensive solar electric vehicle is one of the worst imaginable.
Good luck to Evan, Lucy and John the driver, off to Monaco with Affinity tomorrow!
Watch Channel 4 News’ coverage of the event, or see photos at Guardian.co.uk and BBC News. Special thanks to Lizzie Gillett, the producer, for inviting us to the event and giving us tickets to the star-studded premiere!
And seriously – don’t EVER run from Mayfair to Leicester Square. No parking ticket is worth it.
