JADAR

★★★★☆

DARKFIELD are creators of innovative, immersive, 360-degree audio experiences at the forefront of technology and theatre. DARKFIELD utilise striking sets, complete darkness, binaural sound, sensory effects and shipping containers to situate each participant at the centre of intense evolving narratives. They had their Manchester premiere with SÉANCE, their debut show, at the Royal Exchange Theatre in 2018. This September, DARKFIELD is having a city-wide collaboration with three iconic Manchester venues: SÉANCE (HOME), FLIGHT (Aviva Studios) and ARCADE (Lowry).

SÉANCE

★★★★★

SÉANCE transforms the interior of a shipping container into a Victorian parlour room, with attendees embarking on a journey guided by a mysterious medium. There is a long oblong table with guests sat at either side. We put on our headphones and the lights go out, forcing us into complete darkness. The medium calls out into the abyss, and, soon enough, we are visited.

The binaural audio technology is incredible: it genuinely sounds like there is a medium walking around and that other guests are talking. Sometimes it sounds like the person next to us, sometimes somebody a meter away, and, worst of all, the medium or the ghost right in our ear.

The table moves a little, which is freaky. When something goes wrong, the medium tries to find out who pulled their hands off the table – and I’m sure many people have been guilty of that, making the situation even more terrifying for them. It cruelly and creatively plays on your fears and insecurities.

FLIGHT

★★★★★

One might imagine that SÉANCE is the scariest of the three experiences, certainly on paper, but several of us on the exclusive press preview agreed that FLIGHT, their second show, took the trophy – not just because it looked and felt more real but also because it could be real.

FLIGHT transforms a shipping container into an economy airplane cabin. You walk in to what looks like half an airplane, with a curtain at the left-hand side of the aisle, separating it from the non-existent second set of seats. This experience explores the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, which proposes every possible outcome is happening at the same time in countless parallel worlds. It takes audience members through two worlds, two realities and two possible outcomes to their journey.

It even explores Shrödinger’s Cat: if you place a cat and something that could kill the cat (a radioactive atom) in a box and sealed it, you would not know if the cat were dead or alive until you opened the box, so that until the box was opened, the cat was both dead and alive. This is used to represent how scientific theory works: no one knows if any scientific theory is right or wrong until said theory can be tested and proven.

Whilst DARKFIELD shows are often theoretical and philosophical, FLIGHT really delves into it; it is more on the nose and forceful. It forces you to answer existential questions whilst being terrorised – physically, aurally, and psychologically.

FLIGHT is more immersive than the other shows. It begins with a video recording of a creepy flight attendant on a small screen. Whilst most of the experience is in complete darkness, lights do come on at certain points. At one point, the curtain has lifted to reveal a mirror, creating the illusion that there is another set of seats. FLIGHT really is a work of art.

ARCADE

★★★★☆

ARCADE, their latest show, transforms a shipping container into an arcade. Using the nostalgic aesthetic of 1980s video games, the interactive narrative explores the evolving relationship between players and avatars. This choose-your-own-path experience provides each player with their own machine. Players are asked deep existential questions about free will and consciousness in a world where some may win and some may lose.

In this experience, we are not ourselves but instead a female character called Milk. This creates something of a disconnect because the events are not happening to us, so we are not as invested. However, there is an interactive element: every time we are asked a question, we can press a button for “yes” or press nothing for “no”, thereby altering the events of the narrative. We also get to use a token, and some people (myself included) lose their button towards the end.

ARCADE could be made more exciting and immersive with more lights (there are a few flickers of lights that briefly show us the set) and maybe even real screens on the machines. SÉANCE and FLIGHT are so innovative and frightening that ARCADE is a bit of an anticlimactic ending. The scariest part was somebody brushing past me as they annoyingly left the experience early (which we are told not to, not only because it can ruin the experience for others, but also because of the risk to health and safety, what with us being in complete darkness).

DARKFIELD set the bar high with SÉANCE and FLIGHT, and whilst ARCADE does not reach those heights, it is still an interesting creation that will get you thinking and questioning yourself. It is an emotional rollercoaster that creates vivid, violent imagery whilst submerging you in darkness.

There is clearly a lot of research that goes into these immersive experiences; they are all innovatively and intelligently informed by theories and philosophies. The audio technology is incredible; it genuinely sounds like the noises and voices are coming from around the room. Whilst most of the experiences take place in complete darkness, the use of realistic sets helps make the experiences feel more real.

DARKFIELD have invited me to review their other shows in London, and I immediately took them up on this offer; I can’t wait to see what else their crazy big brains have come up with.

DARKFIELD are in Manchester until September 21, with SÉANCE at HOME, FLIGHT at Aviva Studios, and ARCADE at Lowry.