What’s this? Londoners queueing for hours on end to stand in the rain? Sounds like there’s something in the water. Naturally, though, there was more to Random International’s splash-hit installation than met the eye. Essentially a big, rectangular, upside-down water fountain, the piece used a set of depth-sensing cameras to shut off corresponding valves as visitors moved through it, simulating the experience of standing in a downpour without the associated inconvenience of soggy socks.
One thing that sets the Barbican apart from London’s other cultural heavyweights is the sheer eclecticism of its programming. All in the same visit, you could quite easily catch a Hollywood blockbuster, an experimental dance performance, a gig by a chart-topping megastar and an abstract art show. You’d need a lie down afterwards, but still: it is possible.
Here are our ten favourite shows from the Barbican’s last ten years.
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