Immersive experiences are my bread and butter when it comes to theatre. Companies such as Darkfield have revolutionised what this looks like, using no performers but creating spaces and sounds to envelope you in these worlds.

Without Sin creates a world where, after years of no contact from COVID, we are forced intimacy with a complete stranger, bringing us back into the hug of theatre at its best. There are no performers, but a soothing voice through headphones and you and your partner’s interaction. Set out as a confessional, you and another audience member ask one another prompted questions along the 7 deadly sins vibe, that make you think and also get to know one another. The questions are very clever and let you know a lot in a small amount of time about this stranger, about yourself and create a really unique connection.

By the end of the questions, you are prompted to write your partner advice or something you want them to hear… and this becomes emotional and taps into parts of you that maybe your loved ones wouldn’t venture into.

The box itself is small but there is something comforting about it, from the soothing voice in the headphones, to the incense and woody smell, to the ambient lighting. You feel safe and looked after and this helps in your “confession”. Clearly based on Catholicism, there isn’t something intimidating that maybe a church or religious confessional would perhaps give. It’s a welcoming space and a time to take a breath in the chaos of the fringe.

Without Sin is a revolutionary approach to site-specific/purpose built immersive experiences. It allows you to be vulnerable but also supportive. My only wish was that it was longer than 10 minutes – I could have stayed in there forever to cleanse my soul!