A Trick Of The Light

Can you trust your own eyes?

The Barber will become a house of magic for one night, with talks, screenings and activities on the theme of optical illusion taking over the building. Our special guest is Patrick Hughes, whose ingenious 'reverspective' paintings play mind-boggling tricks with space. Born in Birmingham the same year that Queen Mary opened the Barber, Hughes will reflect on a life and work shaped by wartime, optics and surrealism. Musicians from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire will present new live scores to a number of early 'trick films', including work by Georges Méliès and the Midlands' own unsung pioneer Walter R Booth, and there's also an opportunity to get crafty and create your own animations with Birmingham duo Sellotape Cinema or make your own optical toy. This event is part of the popular Barber Lates programme, with drinks and nibbles included in the price of admission.