The use of the stage has become central to the world of theatre, allowing for the visibility of characters, the projection of lights, and the use of backdrops to set the scene. However, without the ability to see, what other senses can we rely on in a performance? Séance, without a doubt, explores this idea by bringing in a new way to frighten an audience and leave them on the edge of their seats. This piece has come to Nottingham for two weeks to showcase an unconventional form of theatre that is absolutely fantastic and everyone should experience at least once in their lives. By rejecting traditional forms of theatre, you can witness a piece that is both unsettling and phenomenal.
I must prewarn everyone, however, that this form of performance is not for the faint-hearted! This show’s genre was horror, and they truly delivered in providing an authentic terrifying piece. Despite there not being a complete plot, the focus of the piece was on calling for spirits to enter the ‘stage’ and frighten the audience. Personally, I believe that because it was only 20 minutes, there was no need for a fully thought-out storyline and that the focus on the audience was really emphasised in breaking the fourth wall and making us feel included in the piece, rather than just observing.
The setting rejected the use of a stage in favour of creating a unique form of theatre in the form of a metal container box. What I found most exciting was waiting outside this simple box, wondering what could be inside. And what was inside was completely unexpected. When we walked in, all we saw was a long table surrounded by grand chairs. The set’s simplicity added to the mystery and ambiguity of what was to come. As soon as we sat down and put on our headphones, the lights went out, and we sat in complete darkness for the duration of the performance. From the outside, it may appear that having this performance in the dark would have bored the audience, but this was not the case. The performance in the dark obviously increased the terror, but it also raised questions about what was going on around us and whether or not people were entering the container.
The use of the table was a central support to the performance, with people telling you to “never let your hands leave the table” which I thought was very inventive by the creators of this masterpiece. Despite it being in the dark, we were all still somewhat connected and could feel like we were sharing the experience together. The vibrations on the table gave the impression that we were summoning spirits, and that people were walking over the table, playing with the sense of touch. I think this creativity through the use of props once again made us feel immersed in the piece and therefore more connected to the characters even if we could not see them. Yet, above all, the most exhilarating part of the performance was the focus on sound. By using headphones, technology was cleverly used to have a range of sounds gradually building up the tension to the climax of the show. The sound transferring from one side of the headphone to the other gave the impression that people were walking around the set, enclosing the audience and creating an unearthly atmosphere. The variety of volumes used, from someone whispering in ‘your ear’ to an overload of layers of sounds such as babies crying to ear-piercing screams, added to the fear of the performance. The unpredictability of the sound heightened our awareness and our need to rely on senses that aren’t often used in traditional theatre.
Overall, this was a unique performance that I would recommend to anyone looking for something different, spine-chilling but immersive at the same time!