What would you do, what CAN you do when you can only hear your surroundings but lack the power to help?

Coma by Darkfield, one of their many shipping container immersive experiences, engulfs us in an idea of medically induced coma states, while other frightening and disturbing things happen around us, completely out of our control.

Darkfield are very good at creating experiences that mainly function on the power of persuasion, listening to a narrative and following our own imagination. But equally, what happens in our heads, can be just as disturbing.

In a clinical yet odd style ‘hostel’, we are asked to lie down on 3 tier bunkbeds, encouraged to make ourselves comfortable and to take a little pill – though this is our choice, as we are told taking it or not taking it makes little difference either way.

Plunged into darkness, with our headphones on, we are influenced by commentary, by sounds that sound very near us and at times further way, adding to our imagination of what we already know the room looks like. Like all of Darkfield, there are moments of fear, of climaxes, but to tell you these only destroys what you experience.

My only problem with Coma, is more dependent on the audience member. To really throw yourself into this piece, to feel in a ‘coma’ you need to really engage in a meditative state and give yourself fully to the relaxation in your body to get the full extent of what they are trying to achieve. Unfortunately, for me, while used to meditation, it just didn’t come easily for me this one night and perhaps lead to me missing out on being more immersive that I would be another day.

Coma is equally intriguing, exciting, and scary – go on, be brave, and engage in something you have never experienced before – but fully commit, to come away with something fantastic!