Darkfield Radio – comedy | theatre | live entertainment

KNOT: A Darkfield Radio Experience

Darkfield Radio is back with a second season and another mind-bending broadcast that will transport you to an alternate reality through the clever use of binaural sound technology. KNOT plays out as a trilogy and the game changer – this time you are on the move!

This latest immersive encounter centres around a mysterious event and several curious characters – a woman lost in the park, men in transit both to and from said park and finally, a meeting in a house which brings together these voices and more. Initially it is unclear who these people are and how, or if, they are connected but as the plot unravels with each episode, the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

Unlike its predecessors, KNOT is a cyclical story, unfolding in three parts at three different locations. Audiences are encouraged to begin the experience on a park bench then the passenger seat of a car before bringing you home for the conclusion. While you don’t have to situate yourself in these places, it does make the story that bit more authentic which in turn enhances the overall experience.

This work, as with all previous Darkfield Radio broadcasts, triumphs in its ability to employ expertly considered sound design to manipulate your sense of reality. Realscape Productions have definitely upped the ante this time round by inviting the audience to match their environment with the story’s. The soundscape is deftly devised so it is chillingly realistic and all encompassing, blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s “part of the show”.

While each part was clearly crafted with the locales in mind, the second episode was by far the most convincing, due to the different layers of audio involved. When the man in the backseat speaks, you can’t help but look behind you convinced there is someone there. You hear traffic sounds outside – is that coming through your headphones or is that what’s happening in real time?

We are very fortunate in Aotearoa to be able to enjoy live theatre at the minute but KNOT is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something a little different. Brilliantly immersive, engaging and superbly conceived, this innovative audio experience will not disappoint.

KNOT is currently running Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays this month (August). Tickets are $37 per person for the trilogy (all 3 episodes), book now at at darkfield.nz

VISITORS: A Darkfield Radio Experience

Darkfield Radio returns with another chilling audio experience which heightens and beguiles the senses, causing you to question what’s real and what isn’t. This subsequent broadcast VISITORS has a supernatural twist as it explores humans’ desire to connect through physical touch.

Just like its predecessor, this work is best experienced in pairs. Similarly participants are invited to sit (this time) in their living room, opposite each other, and to follow the instructions prompted by the audio.

The scene is set with two visitors who have let themselves in to your home. Their motives are unknown but from the get-go there is something quite eerie about these individuals and as the plot unfolds, it becomes apparent that there are more sinister intentions afoot.

Realscape Productions, the brains behind these broadcasts are masters at manipulation, employing brilliant use of binaural sound technology to create a world in your mind’s eye which you easily fall for. The superbly devised soundscape effortlessly convinces you that someone is whispering in your ear or the footsteps approaching from behind are real. With this particular story, unlike the first instalment, you are invited to move around which adds another dynamic layer to the experience.

VISITORS is a hauntingly disturbing encounter which will give you genuine goosebumps. In this current pandemic times, while we are fortunate enough in New Zealand to be able to attend live entertainment shows, for those who may still be a little hesitant or simply wish to “catch a show” from home, this hits the spot.

VISITORS is currently broadcasting 4 days a week at 8PM and 10PM. Tickets are $20.70 for two, book now at darkfield.nz

DOUBLE: A Darkfield Radio Experience

Sit at your kitchen table, opposite your partner. Follow the instructions prompted by the audio.

Such a simple premise but be prepared for your mind to go into overdrive as the superbly crafted soundscape envelopes you and paranoia unavoidably sets in. DOUBLE is Darkfield Radio’s premiere broadcast and is presented by a company well-known for employing clever, considered use of sound to activate the senses and tap into the complexities of the human psyche.

The guts of this immersive production explores the Capgras delusion, a condition in which you believe your loved one has been replaced by a duplicate but one with more sinister intentions. This is where doing this with a partner really enhances the experience, giving it another layer of realism.

There’s something quite unsettling about being at ease in the safety of your own home one moment then feeling completely on edge the next. You hear footsteps approaching behind you; though your head tells you it’s not real, you find yourself succumbing to what you are hearing and you feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand.

This is what this work does so effortlessly – it engages with your subconscious and your mind starts to play tricks on you. The audio design has been remarkably devised and is second to none, luring you in to easily suspend your disbelief and be convinced of the ominous goings on around you.

Realscape Productions’ DOUBLE is hair-raisingly chilling, genuinely unnerving and a brilliant fusion of theatre and virtual reality. In a time where staying at home and self-isolating is more the new normal, this is the next best thing to collectively experiencing a theatrical event.

DOUBLE runs from 1-29 September. Access is $10 per person / per access code, book now at darkfield.nz

Watch the trailer here.