The eminent Fringe World is returning to the Woodside Pleasure Garden with a bang in January 2021, with COMA gracing their own version of a stage for the first time.
The thrilling multi-sensory brainchild of Darkfield and Realscape Productions, COMA is a fully-immersive theatre show set in a pitch black 40ft sea-container reminiscent of an abandoned hospital ward. Certainly not for the faint hearted, the experience is forced to utilise mediums other than visual to leave you feeling anxious and unsettled. Think psychological thriller film, but instead of watching on from your couch, you're the main character. Drawing off last year’s glowing reviews, it promises to be an event unlike any other.
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Established to complete the trilogy of past Fringe favourites FLIGHT and SÉANCE, COMA offers a truly unique 'theatre stage', with each wall lined with bunk beds. Audience members lie down in a bed, each becoming separated from each other. Then, while completely alone in the darkness, the elements submerge each participant, guaranteeing a heart-palpitating experience.
What to expect at COMA 2021
COMA's clinical and ward-like setting has never been more relevant. With COVID-19 rampant across the globe, the possibility of laying in a hospital bed becomes hauntingly real, ironically making the experience even more confronting. As with all Darkfield experiences, an inexplicable world is built from 360-degree sound which guarantees to perplex its audience. Loss of vision heightens the remaining senses, making participants vulnerable to each and every manipulation.
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In the meantime, audiences are encouraged to tune in to Darkfield Radio where you can play a series of audio files specifically designed to be enjoyed at home. This aspect recently sparked global attention of XR and VR communities with their ability to create worlds for the audience utilising only audio.
COMA, FLIGHT and SÉANCE run at various times from Tuesday - Sunday in the Woodside Pleasure Garden from 15 January - 14 February 2021.
COMA and FLIGHT run for 30 minutes and cost $25 and SÉANCE runs for 20 minutes and costs $20.
