Lose your senses at Brisbane Festival’s latest innovative production, 'Séance', presented by Realscape Productions in Association with Darkfield.
An immersive and somewhat intense theatrical experience, 'Séance' tests a person’s resolve and explores their imagination – journeying into the depths of the unknown with the power of suggestion.
Using sound effects to guide one’s thoughts, the show navigates the subconscious to play tricks on the mind.
Housed in a shipping container, guests file into a small room, lined with old theatre seats either side of a long table. Despite the intimacy of the setting, it’s hard to get comfortable.
As the show begins, the room plunges into darkness. Guests place their palms on the table; conjuring spirits as the séance begins.
Senses heighten and the boundaries between reality and fiction become confusing. The story tells of spirits becoming rampant in the room. Someone has removed their hands from the table, but you cannot tell who the culprit is.
Not only does the soundtrack, which transitions between left and right ears, guide the story, but bumps and scratches bombard one’s sense of touch. 'Séance' becomes a chilling 3D experience – where you can’t be certain what will happen next.
Even though the room is dark, it’s quite an unnerving experience. At certain points of the show, it’s easy to feel as though someone is speaking to your left or right – and even whispering right behind you. The soundscape is well-crafted and eerie.
Claustrophobes, nyctophobes and anyone afraid of the spirit realm should beware.
'Séance' is a new style of sensory deprivation and inspiration. It’s wicked fun that has the power to be exceptionally haunting if you let your mind go.
If you can last the full show, it’d be worth seeing again. Even if it’s just to hear how the story plays out from a different position in the room.
