First it's just a series of noises, then repetitive phrases, then DOUBLE draws you in.
DOUBLE is the creation of innovative UK company Darkfield Radio, a virtual reality experience that only requires a smart device and heaphones to enjoy. The critically-acclaimed, chilling, and immersive encounter can be done at home at your kitchen table with a friend or family member. It's the first ever audio-only experience to be part of the official selection for the Venice International Film Festival, and it's clear why.
Cityscape tried it out and found it thoroughly immersive and spine-tingling. First you download the Darkfield app and book a session – you can't just do it at any old time. Then at the scheduled time, you set yourself up at the table with a friend, your app, and a glass of water. The voice-driven story is punctuated with small sounds, just enough to set the scene while a moving and varying voice replicates an internal monologue and gets you thinking about yourself, your relationship with the person across the table, and reality. DOUBLE explores the Capgras delusion, a condition in which the sufferer is convinced that a loved one has been replaced by an exact replica with malign intentions.
Tuesday 1 September – Tuesday 29 September
darkfield.nz