Darkfield Radio
An innovative and unnerving experience
The masterminds behind sensory deprivation experiences Flight, Seance and Coma are back with their latest unsettling yet equally groundbreaking offerings. Darkfield has always taken the concept of telling scary stories in the dark to a whole new level. Now, the twisted masterminds behind freaky shipping container experiences Flight, Coma and Séance have upped the ante once again. And it is definitely DARK.
In the wake of COVID-19, cramming strangers into a shipping container to create a shared experience is simply not going to happen. So in July the team launched Darkfield Radio in response to the world-wide closures of the arts industry, and a shift from in-person theatre experiences to home entertainment. The concept is simple but incredibly effective; a completely immersive radio experience that is as unnerving as it is innovative.
All you need is a mobile phone, a set of headphones and a willingness to allow the experience to take over. Word of advice though … both shows are so perfectly constructed that trying to fight the wave of apprehension you feel as they build and draw you in is absolutely futile.
Darkfield’s two groundbreaking 360 degree binaural audio experiences have already made waves around the world. DOUBLE, launched in July, was selected for the Venice International Film Festival as the first ever audio-only experience in the history of the festival; and VISITORS, which launches on Friday, is an Official Selection for the Raindance Film Festival 2020 and has already been nominated for two awards – Outstanding Achievement in Audio and Best Narrative.
Releasing the second show, Realscape Productions producer Nathan Alexander says:
“Having our audiences trust us and invite Darkfield Radio into their homes during the pandemic has been remarkable. There is much to be said about the way Australians are embracing the uncomfortable during such a strange time in history, and as the UK team continue to innovate and bring new audio experiences to life, Australian audiences continue to become even more brazen.”
THE EXPERIENCE
Double
This show is best experienced sitting opposite your partner at the kitchen table, with your headphones on and a glass of water in front of each person.
A robotic female voice will lead you through exactly what you need to do to get the most out of the experience: “There is only one rule. Everyone has to be who they say they are.”
Exploring the Capgras delusion, a terrifying condition in which the sufferer is convinced that a loved one has been replaced by an exact replica with malign intentions, DOUBLE will hold you in its paralysing grip for the next 20 minutes. And, if you resist the urge to peek into the darkness of your own home to see if there is actually someone (or something) lurking in the shadows, you get a gold star for bravery.
DOUBLE runs every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:30pm and 9:30pm AEDT until the end of December 2020.
VISITORS
The almost ethereal air of VISITORS builds a strange and curious world, with a dead couple inviting themselves into your home, looking for a temporary solution to their permanent condition. “We didn’t know where else to go…”
It’s a subtle but terrifying reflection on our irrepressible desire to touch and why the dead find so little comfort in the world of the living,
While not quite as menacing and dark as its predecessor, VISITORS rewards concentration and an open mind.
It’s a truly eerie experience that’s sure to stay with you long after you switch the lights back on.
VISITORS runs every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, 9pm and 11pm AEDT from October 16 until the end of December 2020.
Tickets to both experiences are available at darkfield.com.au/radio
It’s simple to take part. Head to the Darkfield radio website, buy a ticket to one of the performances, download their app, and follow the instructions at the set time.
If these experiences don’t give you the heebie jeebies, you might need to check your pulse.