Darkfield Festival 2022
Darkfield seem to be everywhere this Halloween season, with Séance open in Watford and the debuts of The Invitation and The Terminal at Alton Towers and Thorpe Park retrospectively. Their immersive audio experiences take place in total darkness, submerging visitors into deeply unnerving situations using only audio and minor special effects. Once again, the Darkfield Festival brings three of these experiences to Canary Wharf in London.
Our first journey found us lying down on a clinical bunkbed in Coma. Having previously experienced this attraction we entered the shipping container with a sense of anticipation. Whilst all of the Darkfield attractions utilise elements of horror and trepidation, Coma is arguably one of the most psychological. The concepts it presents are relatively complex and require an element of thought to understand. However, once you sink deeper the dark reality becomes all too clear.
This experience is perfectly paced, setting up an interesting narrative thread that gradually builds tension and unease. There are no real jump scares. This is all about making you uncomfortable and facing very real horrors and concepts that will chill you to your core. Whilst this experience doesn’t feature as many flashy effects as the others, it uses smells to great effect to convince you that what you’re hearing is directly next to you. The experience feels real, to the point that we genuinely recoiled into the corners of our bed MULTIPLE times. Some of the situations we found ourselves in within Coma made us feel deeply uncomfortable, which is a testament to the immersion and narrative of the experience.
Coma is without doubt one of the real gems in Darkfield’s line-up. The vulnerability that comes from lying down throughout the experience really heightens the terror. Especially, when combined with the disturbing themes present within the show. This is a slower burn than other Darkfield experiences but is most certainly one of the most intense.
We followed Coma up by boarding our seats in Flight. It’s unbelievable how lifelike the plane is, considering it all takes place within a single shipping container. As if the theming wasn’t enough, there is an element of movement within the show to really immerse you within the scenario taking place.
Whilst we have experienced Flight before, we had completely forgotten just how disturbing this attraction can get. Flight balances humour and fear to great effect. One moment you’ll be laughing at the cabin crew’s frankly ridiculous requests, the next you’ll be gripping onto the arms of your seat with unparalleled force. We found this back and forth pattern of humour and intensity really played with our sense of unease. We never quite felt safe within Flight. There was always the possibility that something terrifying was about to happen imminently. That’s not to say there isn’t substance behind the plot of Flight. There are some very interesting narrative threads that get your brain whirring. If you’re a fan of thought experiments this attraction will most definitely appease that itch.
Flight is arguably the most viscerally intense attraction Darkfield have produced and could be considered the scariest. It flickers between hilarity and sheer terror at a surprising pace, all whilst shaping a fascinating narrative that is sure to have you hooked until the end.
Eulogy was the only attraction in the line-up at Canary Wharf that we had yet to experience. There was something unsettling about entering the container, not truly knowing what to expect on the inside. What we found was quite possibly the most ambitious and high concept Darkfield experience to date. Eulogy transports you into a hazy dreamlike world where nothing is quite as it seems.
This is a heavily narratively driven experience. At first, you’ll find all of the elements hard to grasp and a little overwhelming. There’s a lot to take in, especially given the interesting addition of voice recognition. Unlike previous Darkfield shows, you are able to shape certain features of your experience by responding to specific questions along your journey. Surprisingly, this really made us feel extremely unsettled. It immersed us into the world Darkfield had shaped and created a real sense of vulnerability. This was only heightened by some impressive practical effects that genuinely convinced us that we were moving within the show.
Like with Coma, Eulogy is a slow burner. We spent most of the experience lost and confused as to what this was all about. We were completely at the mercy of our guide within the show. Thankfully, in true Darkfield fashion the finale ties everything together in a wonderfully creative fashion. Whilst there are elements of horror to this experience, we were too busy trying to pick our jaws off the floor at the sheer creativity of the final twist. It’s a bold narrative that won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it left us beaming from ear to ear.
Eulogy is an exciting new direction for Darkfield, relying less on all out horror but remaining just as intense. It’s a beautiful experience with a strong plot that will surprise you with its many twists and turns. This was one dream that we most certainly didn’t want to wake up from.
Darkfield are true masters of immersive theatre. Their attractions may reside inside single shipping containers, but their ambition and grandeur expand way beyond your wildest imaginations. It’s truly impressive to see just what can be done with binaural audio and some simple special effects. These three experiences are some of the most intense and immersive we have experienced all year. Miss out on Darkfield’s residency at Canary Wharf at your own peril. These three experiences will absolutely blow you away!
Our first journey found us lying down on a clinical bunkbed in Coma. Having previously experienced this attraction we entered the shipping container with a sense of anticipation. Whilst all of the Darkfield attractions utilise elements of horror and trepidation, Coma is arguably one of the most psychological. The concepts it presents are relatively complex and require an element of thought to understand. However, once you sink deeper the dark reality becomes all too clear.
This experience is perfectly paced, setting up an interesting narrative thread that gradually builds tension and unease. There are no real jump scares. This is all about making you uncomfortable and facing very real horrors and concepts that will chill you to your core. Whilst this experience doesn’t feature as many flashy effects as the others, it uses smells to great effect to convince you that what you’re hearing is directly next to you. The experience feels real, to the point that we genuinely recoiled into the corners of our bed MULTIPLE times. Some of the situations we found ourselves in within Coma made us feel deeply uncomfortable, which is a testament to the immersion and narrative of the experience.
Coma is without doubt one of the real gems in Darkfield’s line-up. The vulnerability that comes from lying down throughout the experience really heightens the terror. Especially, when combined with the disturbing themes present within the show. This is a slower burn than other Darkfield experiences but is most certainly one of the most intense.
We followed Coma up by boarding our seats in Flight. It’s unbelievable how lifelike the plane is, considering it all takes place within a single shipping container. As if the theming wasn’t enough, there is an element of movement within the show to really immerse you within the scenario taking place.
Whilst we have experienced Flight before, we had completely forgotten just how disturbing this attraction can get. Flight balances humour and fear to great effect. One moment you’ll be laughing at the cabin crew’s frankly ridiculous requests, the next you’ll be gripping onto the arms of your seat with unparalleled force. We found this back and forth pattern of humour and intensity really played with our sense of unease. We never quite felt safe within Flight. There was always the possibility that something terrifying was about to happen imminently. That’s not to say there isn’t substance behind the plot of Flight. There are some very interesting narrative threads that get your brain whirring. If you’re a fan of thought experiments this attraction will most definitely appease that itch.
Flight is arguably the most viscerally intense attraction Darkfield have produced and could be considered the scariest. It flickers between hilarity and sheer terror at a surprising pace, all whilst shaping a fascinating narrative that is sure to have you hooked until the end.
Eulogy was the only attraction in the line-up at Canary Wharf that we had yet to experience. There was something unsettling about entering the container, not truly knowing what to expect on the inside. What we found was quite possibly the most ambitious and high concept Darkfield experience to date. Eulogy transports you into a hazy dreamlike world where nothing is quite as it seems.
This is a heavily narratively driven experience. At first, you’ll find all of the elements hard to grasp and a little overwhelming. There’s a lot to take in, especially given the interesting addition of voice recognition. Unlike previous Darkfield shows, you are able to shape certain features of your experience by responding to specific questions along your journey. Surprisingly, this really made us feel extremely unsettled. It immersed us into the world Darkfield had shaped and created a real sense of vulnerability. This was only heightened by some impressive practical effects that genuinely convinced us that we were moving within the show.
Like with Coma, Eulogy is a slow burner. We spent most of the experience lost and confused as to what this was all about. We were completely at the mercy of our guide within the show. Thankfully, in true Darkfield fashion the finale ties everything together in a wonderfully creative fashion. Whilst there are elements of horror to this experience, we were too busy trying to pick our jaws off the floor at the sheer creativity of the final twist. It’s a bold narrative that won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it left us beaming from ear to ear.
Eulogy is an exciting new direction for Darkfield, relying less on all out horror but remaining just as intense. It’s a beautiful experience with a strong plot that will surprise you with its many twists and turns. This was one dream that we most certainly didn’t want to wake up from.
Darkfield are true masters of immersive theatre. Their attractions may reside inside single shipping containers, but their ambition and grandeur expand way beyond your wildest imaginations. It’s truly impressive to see just what can be done with binaural audio and some simple special effects. These three experiences are some of the most intense and immersive we have experienced all year. Miss out on Darkfield’s residency at Canary Wharf at your own peril. These three experiences will absolutely blow you away!
Darkfield Radio - Knot
Darkfield Radio is back for a three part experience called Knot. The shows are all presented as stand alone experiences but are all tied together by an overriding theme.
Each story takes place in a different location - a park bench, the passenger seat of a car, or at home, and each one uses the multi directional sound and creepy atmosphere we would expect from Darkfield.
Indeed, the sound mix in the first two shows was amazing, and we have to commend Darkfield on how realistic episode 2 was. The "in car" sound effects and dialogue were genuinely unnerving and this middle episode was definitely the highlight of the night.
But unfortunately by episode 3, the story and the connection between the three disparate stories was not as strong as we had expected. Although fun, and technically skilled - we were expecting just a bit more in the final show that would have completely tied up up all the strands and elaborated more how the stories were connected. By this point, the more the supernatural/psychological element of the experience dampened the reality of parts 1 and 2, which was a shame. We can see what they were trying to achieve, but we maybe would have preferred something more grounded in reality.
This is not to say that we didn't enjoy the experience. After all we have never been disappointed with any of Darkfield's shows, and the sound placement and effects throughout were stunning as always (you can still never prepare yourself for when the protagonist whispers so closely in your ear that you can feel it!) But all in, we found it to be slightly lacking in cohesion across the three experiences, which wasn't helped by the delay between each show. Maybe if we had experienced them directly after each other, our opinion may have been different.
Either way, Darkfield have proved they are the master of multi directional sound experiences, and if you have never done anything like this before, you really are missing a treat...
Each story takes place in a different location - a park bench, the passenger seat of a car, or at home, and each one uses the multi directional sound and creepy atmosphere we would expect from Darkfield.
Indeed, the sound mix in the first two shows was amazing, and we have to commend Darkfield on how realistic episode 2 was. The "in car" sound effects and dialogue were genuinely unnerving and this middle episode was definitely the highlight of the night.
But unfortunately by episode 3, the story and the connection between the three disparate stories was not as strong as we had expected. Although fun, and technically skilled - we were expecting just a bit more in the final show that would have completely tied up up all the strands and elaborated more how the stories were connected. By this point, the more the supernatural/psychological element of the experience dampened the reality of parts 1 and 2, which was a shame. We can see what they were trying to achieve, but we maybe would have preferred something more grounded in reality.
This is not to say that we didn't enjoy the experience. After all we have never been disappointed with any of Darkfield's shows, and the sound placement and effects throughout were stunning as always (you can still never prepare yourself for when the protagonist whispers so closely in your ear that you can feel it!) But all in, we found it to be slightly lacking in cohesion across the three experiences, which wasn't helped by the delay between each show. Maybe if we had experienced them directly after each other, our opinion may have been different.
Either way, Darkfield have proved they are the master of multi directional sound experiences, and if you have never done anything like this before, you really are missing a treat...
Darkfield Radio - Eternal
We thought we knew what to expect from Darkfield, but nothing could have prepared us for Eternal, a terrifyingly unnerving experience, played out alone in bed.
Immediately there was something freaky about experiencing this show alone, and the fact that we were in our "safe place", made it even more uncomfortable. As the lights went out and we were instructed to lock the door and lay in the darkness on one side of the bed.
As with all Darkfield productions, soon someone (or something) was in the room with us, and our eyes interrogated the darkness, looking for any sign of movement.
The beauty of these experiences is that your mind really does play tricks with you, and as the pinpoint accurate sounds indicate that someone was getting in bed next to us, it was hard not to reach out and see if there really was anyone there!
Although the show doesn't rely on jump scares in the usual vernacular, there are a couple of sudden scares where it genuinely feels that the character in whispering directly into your ear. The clarity and the skill of the sound execution are like nothing else, and the difference between the distant and "close up" voices is totally believable.
Without giving too much away, this show was originally created for the Bram Stoker festival, which will give a hint as to the theme and narrative of the experience. It is great that the team have released it under the Darkfield radio banner to allow more people to experience it.
So there again - we have another Darkfield experience that we absolutely loved. This was probably our favourite of the radio series, and is so accessible for anyone with a mobile phone and a pair of head phones. If you haven't experienced any of their other shows, then you owe it to yourself to try this one out!
Eternal plays three nights a week as part of a rolling programme of Darkfield Radio Shows. Check website for details
Immediately there was something freaky about experiencing this show alone, and the fact that we were in our "safe place", made it even more uncomfortable. As the lights went out and we were instructed to lock the door and lay in the darkness on one side of the bed.
As with all Darkfield productions, soon someone (or something) was in the room with us, and our eyes interrogated the darkness, looking for any sign of movement.
The beauty of these experiences is that your mind really does play tricks with you, and as the pinpoint accurate sounds indicate that someone was getting in bed next to us, it was hard not to reach out and see if there really was anyone there!
Although the show doesn't rely on jump scares in the usual vernacular, there are a couple of sudden scares where it genuinely feels that the character in whispering directly into your ear. The clarity and the skill of the sound execution are like nothing else, and the difference between the distant and "close up" voices is totally believable.
Without giving too much away, this show was originally created for the Bram Stoker festival, which will give a hint as to the theme and narrative of the experience. It is great that the team have released it under the Darkfield radio banner to allow more people to experience it.
So there again - we have another Darkfield experience that we absolutely loved. This was probably our favourite of the radio series, and is so accessible for anyone with a mobile phone and a pair of head phones. If you haven't experienced any of their other shows, then you owe it to yourself to try this one out!
Eternal plays three nights a week as part of a rolling programme of Darkfield Radio Shows. Check website for details
Darkfield Radio - Visitors
Darkfield Radio is back with a brand new show for Halloween, and once again the team have created a tense and terrifying experience that has to be heard to be believed.
As with their other radio shows, the set up is simple. All you need to do is sit in a designated room, tune into the app, and turn all the lights off. Oh yes - and open your mind as to what you might let in...
The show tells the story of two visitors who enter the room you are in and start to interact with you. What these visitors want is unknown to start with, but very soon things start to take a more ominous turn.
The multi directional sound is once again totally believable, and it genuinely feels these people are walking clesely to you in the room. One minute they are talking to the person opposite you, the next minute whispering closely right in your ear. So close in fact that you would swear you can feel their breath!
Visitors is quite different to Double in that it eschews the sound effects and noises that located that show in a kitchen, and instead gets straight into the narrative and ramping up the tension. Several times we jumped/screamed audibly, and during one scene this reviewer was sat in the dark, with their head buried in their hands, dreading that something would actually touch them in the dark!
And thereby lies the strength of the Darkfield experience. The sound is so clear and precise, that it genuinely tricks your brain into thinking something real is happening around you. It's a stunning piece of sound design and all played out in the comfort of your own lounge.
Visitors is open now for bookings from Tuesday October 6th, with shows alternating between Vistors and Double throughout the week. Check their website for details
As with their other radio shows, the set up is simple. All you need to do is sit in a designated room, tune into the app, and turn all the lights off. Oh yes - and open your mind as to what you might let in...
The show tells the story of two visitors who enter the room you are in and start to interact with you. What these visitors want is unknown to start with, but very soon things start to take a more ominous turn.
The multi directional sound is once again totally believable, and it genuinely feels these people are walking clesely to you in the room. One minute they are talking to the person opposite you, the next minute whispering closely right in your ear. So close in fact that you would swear you can feel their breath!
Visitors is quite different to Double in that it eschews the sound effects and noises that located that show in a kitchen, and instead gets straight into the narrative and ramping up the tension. Several times we jumped/screamed audibly, and during one scene this reviewer was sat in the dark, with their head buried in their hands, dreading that something would actually touch them in the dark!
And thereby lies the strength of the Darkfield experience. The sound is so clear and precise, that it genuinely tricks your brain into thinking something real is happening around you. It's a stunning piece of sound design and all played out in the comfort of your own lounge.
Visitors is open now for bookings from Tuesday October 6th, with shows alternating between Vistors and Double throughout the week. Check their website for details
Darkfield Radio - Double
Darkfield Radio is the new venture from Darkfield Productions. Coronavirus meaning you cant sit close to strangers in a container like their regular shows? Don't worry - you can now experience the aural magic in your own home. More specifically - in your own kitchen!
Double is advertised as a troubling exercise in familiarity for two people sitting opposite each other on either side of a kitchen table, replicated in hundreds of rooms across the world over 20 minutes. The show explores the Capgras delusion, a condition in which the sufferer is convinced that a loved one has been replaced by an exact replica with malign intentions.
As with all of Darkfield's productions, Double makes you doubt what you are hearing, and start to question the reality around you. It all starts off innocently enough, but it is once you close your eyes and really listen that the show grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go!
Over the course of 20 minutes, you will genuinely feel there is more than the two of you in the kitchen with directional sound just amping up the feeling of unease and dread. It's so hard to believe that you are just sat at a table listening to some sound through your headphones. In fact it becomes so believable at times that we had to fight the urge to open our eyes and check that we were actually alone. But this would have spoiled the illusion - as unlike the container shows, where you are sat in complete darkness, this would have snapped us back to reality.
The thing that amazed us the most, was how detailed and clear the sound was during the experience. Encouraged to use close backed headphones, we were concerned that our mobile phone ear buds wouldn't be strong enough, but the show was just as enjoyable, and the whole binaural sound placement worked perfectly throughout.
One final thing - Double is not a full on intense scare show. Like their other experiences, it is intended to be a far more thoughtful and unnerving experience, but it will haunt you afterwards. Once the show ended, we sat at the table for quite a while just discussing the things we had heard and imagined during the show (and just checking that nothing had actually moved while we had our eyes shut!)
We have always enjoyed Darkfield's productions and Double was no exception. We look forward to seeing what other shows are broadcast on the radio channel soon!
The show is now available for a limited time and is running at preview prices of just £3.50 pp for the next week. Check out Darkfield Radio for more information.
Double is advertised as a troubling exercise in familiarity for two people sitting opposite each other on either side of a kitchen table, replicated in hundreds of rooms across the world over 20 minutes. The show explores the Capgras delusion, a condition in which the sufferer is convinced that a loved one has been replaced by an exact replica with malign intentions.
As with all of Darkfield's productions, Double makes you doubt what you are hearing, and start to question the reality around you. It all starts off innocently enough, but it is once you close your eyes and really listen that the show grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go!
Over the course of 20 minutes, you will genuinely feel there is more than the two of you in the kitchen with directional sound just amping up the feeling of unease and dread. It's so hard to believe that you are just sat at a table listening to some sound through your headphones. In fact it becomes so believable at times that we had to fight the urge to open our eyes and check that we were actually alone. But this would have spoiled the illusion - as unlike the container shows, where you are sat in complete darkness, this would have snapped us back to reality.
The thing that amazed us the most, was how detailed and clear the sound was during the experience. Encouraged to use close backed headphones, we were concerned that our mobile phone ear buds wouldn't be strong enough, but the show was just as enjoyable, and the whole binaural sound placement worked perfectly throughout.
One final thing - Double is not a full on intense scare show. Like their other experiences, it is intended to be a far more thoughtful and unnerving experience, but it will haunt you afterwards. Once the show ended, we sat at the table for quite a while just discussing the things we had heard and imagined during the show (and just checking that nothing had actually moved while we had our eyes shut!)
We have always enjoyed Darkfield's productions and Double was no exception. We look forward to seeing what other shows are broadcast on the radio channel soon!
The show is now available for a limited time and is running at preview prices of just £3.50 pp for the next week. Check out Darkfield Radio for more information.
Darkfield Festival
Until now, we had only experienced each of the Darkfield attractions in separate places, so it was exciting to see all three shipping containers sitting next to each other in the middle of Canary Wharf. This mini festival of darkness and sound is in London for just a week, so we couldn't resist going along, to experience them all together.
By now you will know that each show features incredibly detailed sound, delivered to pinpoint accuracy around the room, and (most importantly sometimes) right in your ear! Each story works on a slow and gradual building until the tension is cranked to incredible levels, all being released with sudden and shocking effects, that leave you questioning what you just experienced.
Of the three, Seance seems the most simplistic as the tricks are all aural ones, but it really holds its own against the other two more tricksier shows. Flight probably has the most detailed interior set and "mechanism" of the three (something we were totally not expecting from the static looking set) and Coma piles multiple levels of effects such as sound, smell, taste etc.
In each one - the story telling is a suspenseful masterclass that leaves you straining your eyes into the darkness trying to decipher if what you are feeling and hearing is real. Even after doing three shows in a row, we were still taken away, just how disconcerting but believable the sound field is!
With each show coming in around 25 mins to 30 mins and with short intervals between, we were able to go from show to show to show, and you could easily fit all three in in a couple of hours for just £20. The shows are definitely great value, and if you get the chance to do all of them we would definitely recommend it.
All of our group had different favourites between the three attractions, so it really does come down to personal taste and audience perception. We all agreed that the shows create an incredible experience, and it's rare that they are all together in one location. So if you want something completely unique and impressive, we can't recommend Darkfield enough...
By now you will know that each show features incredibly detailed sound, delivered to pinpoint accuracy around the room, and (most importantly sometimes) right in your ear! Each story works on a slow and gradual building until the tension is cranked to incredible levels, all being released with sudden and shocking effects, that leave you questioning what you just experienced.
Of the three, Seance seems the most simplistic as the tricks are all aural ones, but it really holds its own against the other two more tricksier shows. Flight probably has the most detailed interior set and "mechanism" of the three (something we were totally not expecting from the static looking set) and Coma piles multiple levels of effects such as sound, smell, taste etc.
In each one - the story telling is a suspenseful masterclass that leaves you straining your eyes into the darkness trying to decipher if what you are feeling and hearing is real. Even after doing three shows in a row, we were still taken away, just how disconcerting but believable the sound field is!
With each show coming in around 25 mins to 30 mins and with short intervals between, we were able to go from show to show to show, and you could easily fit all three in in a couple of hours for just £20. The shows are definitely great value, and if you get the chance to do all of them we would definitely recommend it.
All of our group had different favourites between the three attractions, so it really does come down to personal taste and audience perception. We all agreed that the shows create an incredible experience, and it's rare that they are all together in one location. So if you want something completely unique and impressive, we can't recommend Darkfield enough...
Coma at Edinburgh Festival 2019 - Guest Review
Warning - this review contains spoilers!
I have yet to have the pleasure of enduring a Darkfield experience, with my only knowledge of the previous experience (Séance and Flight) being that it is bi-neural audio based. With knowing only this I wasn’t too sure what to expect, a spooky “virtual haircut” like back when I used to put a blanket over my friends head and make them listen to something on my phone. The short version is, yes, it is exactly that. But to a maxed-out level of immersion.
Darkfield use noise cancelling headphones and the most perfect bi-neural audio ive ever heard to throw your mind into a world that you know does not exist but can’t help but question your sanity while experiencing this. COMA took the idea of a group dream/coma delivered completely in the mind with a clever and thought provoking look at consciousness. Laying down in triple bunk beds in the claustrophobic shipping container, we all took a pill that we were ensured had nothing in it but will still work, after chewing this cardboard like pill, and trying not to spit it out. We all were spoken to by a nameless doctor who roamed the centre walkway sipping away at his coffee. The doctor seemed very harmless and this was the general theme, harmless… at no point did I feel particularly threatened during COMA and other than one or two small moments, was I particularly scared. This however did not take way from how much I enjoyed the experience. COMA was clever, interesting, however not scary. This didn’t seem to be the direction they wanted to take COMA though, they seemed to want to concentrate on the collective experience of a dream like state over an all-out scary for scares sake experience.
I don’t want to give too much away to those who wish to experience this in the future so stop reading now if you wish to know less about the experience as a whole… A coffee machine that was at the entrance of the hot enclosed shipping container, on a hot day 30 minutes in a metal box isn’t not a comfortable experience at all but you do forget about all of that when being spoken to directly by the doctor or nurse checking up on you. After climbing to a top bunk, I noticed a pill on a spoon next to my bunk and a metal hatch to my right that I feared of its uses. After putting on the headphones we were instructed to take the pill (or not) the doctor was adamant it was just a placebo and had nothing in it. Which I did enjoy the psychological aspect of letting people know it wasn’t a real pill. I always see the use of pills as if they will physically affect you (when you know they won’t) so to be told “they will work but have nothing in them” was an interesting way to deliver this effect. The doctor counted down from ten until the lights slowly fade away to black they faded so slowly I did genuinely think it was my eyesight and had to focus on the light to realise it was the light dimming and not my eyes closing this worked very well, the doctor who was speaking through a speaker system asked us to imagine him in the room, and along with our imagination he did slowly exist in the space with us. Walking up and down and getting a coffee from the machine I later realised was out of order.
Which was a significant point of COMA creating the space in your head doesn’t always mean the exact details are the same. How did the doctor get his coffee if the machine didn’t work? Our imagination let him. He asked us “are we all still here?” I heard everyone else reply yes… I replied “YES!”. This made me laugh as I suddenly remembered that nobody said yes, it was just the audio. I felt so immersed into this fake reality that I started replying just because my brain was tricked into believing that everyone else was replying. This was the peak point of the experience for me. Knowing I was so susceptible to the mind tricks darkfield were playing on me. they started calling out our names and asking if we had taken the pill, I knew they didn’t know my name, but I was terrified that it was real and they would eventually get to me and say my name, it all felt so real. The hatch to my right would open from time to time and a fly would fly out and buzz around my head, I think this was the COMA in physical form as if the one or two lone flies were the first signs of us slipping into a COMA. This effect was used to deliver a pretty good scare, that actually made me jump!
This was the only “jump scare” in the experience, and yes, I did expect more. I did WANT more. But I didn’t leave disappointed. If big effect didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have felt any less impressed with the experience but this was a nice way to wrap up the experience, but it felt like just that.
Overall the experience is highly recommended as long as you don’t go in expecting all scares and are willing to really get involved and throw yourself into the immersion of COMA. I'm really excited to see what the future of this technology is, I really do believe it has a lot of room to grow, and Darkfield will be at the head of that growth.
Guest review by Brett Jones
I have yet to have the pleasure of enduring a Darkfield experience, with my only knowledge of the previous experience (Séance and Flight) being that it is bi-neural audio based. With knowing only this I wasn’t too sure what to expect, a spooky “virtual haircut” like back when I used to put a blanket over my friends head and make them listen to something on my phone. The short version is, yes, it is exactly that. But to a maxed-out level of immersion.
Darkfield use noise cancelling headphones and the most perfect bi-neural audio ive ever heard to throw your mind into a world that you know does not exist but can’t help but question your sanity while experiencing this. COMA took the idea of a group dream/coma delivered completely in the mind with a clever and thought provoking look at consciousness. Laying down in triple bunk beds in the claustrophobic shipping container, we all took a pill that we were ensured had nothing in it but will still work, after chewing this cardboard like pill, and trying not to spit it out. We all were spoken to by a nameless doctor who roamed the centre walkway sipping away at his coffee. The doctor seemed very harmless and this was the general theme, harmless… at no point did I feel particularly threatened during COMA and other than one or two small moments, was I particularly scared. This however did not take way from how much I enjoyed the experience. COMA was clever, interesting, however not scary. This didn’t seem to be the direction they wanted to take COMA though, they seemed to want to concentrate on the collective experience of a dream like state over an all-out scary for scares sake experience.
I don’t want to give too much away to those who wish to experience this in the future so stop reading now if you wish to know less about the experience as a whole… A coffee machine that was at the entrance of the hot enclosed shipping container, on a hot day 30 minutes in a metal box isn’t not a comfortable experience at all but you do forget about all of that when being spoken to directly by the doctor or nurse checking up on you. After climbing to a top bunk, I noticed a pill on a spoon next to my bunk and a metal hatch to my right that I feared of its uses. After putting on the headphones we were instructed to take the pill (or not) the doctor was adamant it was just a placebo and had nothing in it. Which I did enjoy the psychological aspect of letting people know it wasn’t a real pill. I always see the use of pills as if they will physically affect you (when you know they won’t) so to be told “they will work but have nothing in them” was an interesting way to deliver this effect. The doctor counted down from ten until the lights slowly fade away to black they faded so slowly I did genuinely think it was my eyesight and had to focus on the light to realise it was the light dimming and not my eyes closing this worked very well, the doctor who was speaking through a speaker system asked us to imagine him in the room, and along with our imagination he did slowly exist in the space with us. Walking up and down and getting a coffee from the machine I later realised was out of order.
Which was a significant point of COMA creating the space in your head doesn’t always mean the exact details are the same. How did the doctor get his coffee if the machine didn’t work? Our imagination let him. He asked us “are we all still here?” I heard everyone else reply yes… I replied “YES!”. This made me laugh as I suddenly remembered that nobody said yes, it was just the audio. I felt so immersed into this fake reality that I started replying just because my brain was tricked into believing that everyone else was replying. This was the peak point of the experience for me. Knowing I was so susceptible to the mind tricks darkfield were playing on me. they started calling out our names and asking if we had taken the pill, I knew they didn’t know my name, but I was terrified that it was real and they would eventually get to me and say my name, it all felt so real. The hatch to my right would open from time to time and a fly would fly out and buzz around my head, I think this was the COMA in physical form as if the one or two lone flies were the first signs of us slipping into a COMA. This effect was used to deliver a pretty good scare, that actually made me jump!
This was the only “jump scare” in the experience, and yes, I did expect more. I did WANT more. But I didn’t leave disappointed. If big effect didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have felt any less impressed with the experience but this was a nice way to wrap up the experience, but it felt like just that.
Overall the experience is highly recommended as long as you don’t go in expecting all scares and are willing to really get involved and throw yourself into the immersion of COMA. I'm really excited to see what the future of this technology is, I really do believe it has a lot of room to grow, and Darkfield will be at the head of that growth.
Guest review by Brett Jones
Seance at the Vaults Festival 2019
It's been a couple of years since we last experienced Seance in its original state. Over several Halloweens, the show has played out at Warwick Castle as part of their Haunted Castle event, and the setting inside a genuinely creepy looking library has really added to the experience. So how would it feel to going back to a basic packing container?
Surprisingly - it actually makes very little difference. Once the lights go out and the multi directional sounds starts, you are totally carried away to the world that Darkfield have created. And that is the strength of Seance - the casual build up of the story and sounds, creates a totally immersive experience, that will have even the most skeptical of visitors believing they are witnessing something paranormal.
To say much more would reveal too many of the secrets, but if you haven't experienced Seance yet, then we highly recommend you do soon. Trust us - you won't be disappointed!
Surprisingly - it actually makes very little difference. Once the lights go out and the multi directional sounds starts, you are totally carried away to the world that Darkfield have created. And that is the strength of Seance - the casual build up of the story and sounds, creates a totally immersive experience, that will have even the most skeptical of visitors believing they are witnessing something paranormal.
To say much more would reveal too many of the secrets, but if you haven't experienced Seance yet, then we highly recommend you do soon. Trust us - you won't be disappointed!
Seance presented by Darkfield
The Seance is a unique audio experience by Glen Neath and David Rosenberg, where guests are invited to take their seats in a darkened room and partake in a theatrical seance experience. Once seated we are asked to ensure that all sources of light are switched off and to place the supplied headphones over our ears.
What follows next is a totally believeable experience that genuinely had us questioning what was happening around us, especially as the opening is so innocuous and normal, as the leader of the seance quietly chats to the people around you to settle their nerves etc. For a lot of the opening part of the show, we truly felt that there was a live actor in the room (basically impossible with the tiny space we were squeezed into)
Of course - like all good theatrical seances, proceedings start to get a little darker, and soon we arent the only people in the room and the tension is ramped up to almost unbearable levels! By the time the performance is over and the door is opened to let a little bit of light in, everyone looks stunned and startled by what they had just experienced.
The multi - directional soundscape used by this production is easily the most impressive we have experienced. It never sounds like the voices and sounds are coming from speakers and some of the whispers in our ears, were so realistic that they were frightening. Adding to this is the persistent unnerving bass rumble, and the pitch darkness and this has to be the most immersive and genuinely terrifying productions we have ever visited.
The Seance is now running until Saturday October 29th at the Birmingham Repertory Theater
What follows next is a totally believeable experience that genuinely had us questioning what was happening around us, especially as the opening is so innocuous and normal, as the leader of the seance quietly chats to the people around you to settle their nerves etc. For a lot of the opening part of the show, we truly felt that there was a live actor in the room (basically impossible with the tiny space we were squeezed into)
Of course - like all good theatrical seances, proceedings start to get a little darker, and soon we arent the only people in the room and the tension is ramped up to almost unbearable levels! By the time the performance is over and the door is opened to let a little bit of light in, everyone looks stunned and startled by what they had just experienced.
The multi - directional soundscape used by this production is easily the most impressive we have experienced. It never sounds like the voices and sounds are coming from speakers and some of the whispers in our ears, were so realistic that they were frightening. Adding to this is the persistent unnerving bass rumble, and the pitch darkness and this has to be the most immersive and genuinely terrifying productions we have ever visited.
The Seance is now running until Saturday October 29th at the Birmingham Repertory Theater
Links:
Official Website: www.darkfield.org
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