sound

Arcade, London Film Festival

by Zahid Fayyaz

As part of the London Film Festival’s ‘Expanded’ section, Darkfield return to London’s Southbank for what is their most sophisticated immersive show to date, yet still within their familiar shipping container performance space. In past Darkfield works, you’d be lying down on a bed or sitting in an airplane seat, whilst the production used surround sound and sensory effects to take you into the world of the performance piece. This is generally done with noise cancelling headphones and total darkness, which is also the case here for Arcade.

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Viola’s Room, The Carriageworks

by Zahid Fayyaz

Immersive theatre specialists Punchdrunk have opened their second show in what is their own, custom-built space in Woolwich Arsenal, following on from The Burnt City. Based on a 1901 gothic short story, The Moon Slave, written by Daisy Johnson and with narration by Helen Bonham Carter, this is a relatively starry shift from the company. They have also moved away from their previous productions by putting together a linear narrative, rather than allowing the audience free reign over the space and story.

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OommoO, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

by Laura Kressly

Lula Mebrahtu inhabits multiple worlds: the UK, Eritrea, the present and her ancestors’ past. To construct this show she draws on traditional dance, contemporary British club culture, and Afro-futurism to create a unique dramaturgy that seeks to capture the experience of living across multiple cultures.

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Two Super Super Hot Men, VAULT Festival

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By Evangeline Cullingworth

Hidden away in a soundproofed studio, two moustached men defy Mother Nature. Foley art is shrouded in a sexy mystery. I hear fire crackling, but I see Greggs wrapper. I hear glaciers melting, but I see pinecone. It doesn’t make sense and if I think about it for too long I get sweaty and nervous.

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Naked, VAULT Festival

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by Dora Bodrogi

A piece called Naked is sure to bring a memorable experience. Dancer duo Luke Vincent and Paige-Marie Baker-Carroll’s piece does not disappoint. Theirs is a performance that mixes dance, cabaret, theatre, music, and unconventional movement with the aim of putting unapologetic, raw self-expression in the spotlight in a way that lingers long after the lights fade.

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RawTransportTM, VAULT Festival

Image result for rawtransport, vault festival

by Fergus Church

[/activate sensory simulation database]

[sensory simulation database pending]

[sensory simulation database complete]

[location: vault festival]

[/play]

[/see:] dim corridors. neon and spray paint and brick.
[/smell:] must. vimto-flavoured vape. cigarette smoke. beer.
[/feel:] water sweat-dripping onto crowns of heads. dusty warmth.
[/hear:] chatting. applause. glasses clinking behind the bar. a pub quiz announcer.
[/taste:] breath mints. mould in the air.

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All Wrapped Up, Stratford Circus

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by Laura Kressly

Oily Cart makes gently immersive, highly sensory performances for people under five years old, and people with complex needs. This winter-themed touring show for little ones takes them into a world of colourful lights, dark shadows and sparkly parcels that reveal an array of treasure, from reams of bubble wrap, to coloured lights to a magnificent puppet constructed out of cellophane. As lights dim and glow amidst the white drapes and shimmering cushions, children are invited to explore the tactile, etherial landscape that evokes the the wonder of unwrapping presents on a snowy Christmas morning.

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