Through a cosmic circumstance, it seems that almost all community spaces for entertainment, defining the centuries, start with the letter C.
Before history was recorded through the written word and before the wheel was invented, in a time when our ancestors lived among six other human species, a great invention not only set the domino of civilization in motion but also created the first entertainment space. Campfires can be thought of as an all-in-one venue, with engaging storytellers in the fiction and education genres. Food prepared directly in the enlightening and warm Center ensured the same characteristics for the attendees. Apart from oral storytelling by one individual at a time, song, dance, and games directly involved the entire community in an interactive way.
The ancient Colosseum* took spectacle to new heights while reducing the active participation of most attendees. Apart from the benefit of not getting killed in gladiator fights, it would also have been impossible to involve 80,000 spectators personally. The loud cheering and booing nevertheless gave the Romans a sense of togetherness, allowing for performances that blended drama and combat to reenact historical and mythological events.
In stark contrast to these exciting shows, Chapels, Churches, and Cathedrals during the Middle Ages valued worship over entertainment. Held in Latin, a language most people couldn’t understand, the priests served more as cerebral guides than as event hosts. Still, these gatherings played an essential role in people’s lives and occasionally featured Gregorian chants and liturgical dramas. To this day, the ringing of Church bells tells everyone in town that, before they can go to heaven, they have to get up for work.
In the 19th century, the greatest showmen performed death-defying stunts and humorous routines in Circuses that attracted paying audiences through secular entertainment rather than sacred obligations. The meritocratic emphasis on skill not only established the first self-made celebrities but also democratized entertainment for all social classes. By moving the tent around the country and sometimes even across the ocean, pop culture was invented.
What the Circus lacked in narrative depth, the Cinema of the 20th century more than delivered. With early silent films relying entirely on movement by actors and cameras, later inventions added color, sound, and 3D effects, incorporating elements from other art forms. In this sense, film is comparable to architecture, which, by borrowing from various, previously unrelated disciplines, creates something new. But just like a Colosseum or a Church that, once created, doesn’t change its shape or move its shell, the story of a film is made of stone—albeit a finely carved one.
The ritual of watching a film in a Cinema offers the least amount of interaction in our short walk through history’s entertainment spaces. Interactions with others, from colleagues to performers (this time in the form of an ephemeral artifact), happen only before or after the ritual if one is civilized. The growing industry of video games, which has long surpassed Hollywood in revenue, might seem like the logical answer. But what they provide in narrative variety and interaction is often suboptimal for the human experience.
Our group circle became a semicircle with the invention of stages, screens, and even further fragmented with individual mobile devices. Eye contact was replaced with screen-staring. The connection to other participants is nowadays increasingly virtual. If one does go to a modern establishment with entertainment technology, the title Store alongside a cryptic fruit name implies consumption and a short stay.
Allmer will change this.
I imagine the Center as a place where people from all walks of life can come together and experience new forms of entertainment alongside traditional ones. Holographic Game Tables synthesize the best of board and video games, while the Music Studio recreates authentic performances by artists in life-size, interacting with the crowd. Cinemas and Comic Libraries offer an undistracted communal viewing experience but are only part of the Center. What differentiates Allmer is the seamless transition of its intellectual property across media. Instead of simply talking about a watched film on the way to the subway, people can interact with its characters in the form of robotic toys and go on new adventures. Even the tasty snacks offered are inspired by the latest stories of Futory, Detective Noname, and Colbu, thereby going beyond the standard selection of Circuses and Cinemas before.
Although our potential freedom of movement has never been greater, the actual places we visit in our everyday lives to socialize have narrowed. In the fragmented postmodern world, the third place between home and work is slowly going extinct, while increased automation and working from home will leave people only one place in the longer term. But less time spent on societal obligations means more time for entertainment. And because the experiences provided in the Center connect deeply to the human spirit of our visitors, it is a future worth creating.
*Technically Amphitheater would be the more general term although this would break the C 1alliteration.
Comparative Insights
19th Century - Circus
- Level of Interaction: Medium
- Narrative Potential: Low
- Visit Frequency: Yearly
- Product Variety: Low (One Show)
20th Century - Cinema
- Level of Interaction: Low
- Narrative Potential: Medium (Linear Storytelling)
- Visit Frequency: Quarterly
- Product Variety: Medium (Current Film Selection)
21st Century - Center
- Level of Interaction: High
- Narrative Potential: High (Linear and Nonlinear Storytelling)
- Visit Frequency: Weekly
- Product Variety: High (Entire Product Catalog + Center Experiences)
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