Tell us about DARKFIELD and the shows you’re bringing to Edinburgh

DARKFIELD create innovative immersive 360 degree audio experiences at the forefront of technology and theatre. They employ detailed sets, complete darkness, binaural sound, sensory effects and shipping containers to situate each participant at the centre of intense evolving narratives.

Our new show, ARCADE, which is being presented at Summerhall, uses the nostalgic 8-bit aesthetic of 1980’s video games to tell an interactive narrative exploring the evolving relationship between players and avatars. It is a choose-your-own-path experience in a completely dark shipping container, employing 360 degree binaural sound and sensory effects. Players guide their avatar through a world ravaged by endless war. There are many routes and many different outcomes.

FLIGHT, which will be sited outside Pleasance Dome, takes place in absolute darkness inside a 40ft shipping container with an interior that exactly resembles an Airbus 320 economy cabin.  The story explores the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, taking audience members through two worlds, two realities and two possible outcomes to their journey.  

Who are the main character(s) in the show and what are they like?

The main character in ARCADE is the avatar that the player guides through the story. They may meet Tar and/or Kim, the leaders of the two respective armies, as well as their respective cohorts. There are about 75 other characters in the world of the show. The main characters in FLIGHT are the Captain, the Cabin Crew and the other passengers on the plane with you. 

How does it feel to be bringing ARCADE and FLIGHT to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

We love coming to the Fringe. Edinburgh has been a great place to showcase our work and we’ve been every year since 2017, with the exception of Covid year 2020. We generally premiere a new show at Summerhall and for the last three years have also managed to open some of our other containers outside the Pleasance Dome. 

Have you done the Fringe before? What are the key pieces of advice you have been given or would give to new groups or people performing at the Fringe?

Bringing a show to the Fringe is very expensive – the accommodation is very hard to come by and extortionate. If you have friends you can stay with, invite yourself. The Fringe is a bit of a monster that can swallow you up so it’s probably best to accept this, embrace the challenges and try and enjoy yourself. 

What do you hope that audiences will take away from experiencing a DARKFIELD show?

Our shows offer something different – they’re short and intense and audiences can fit them in between other shows they’re watching. They run at various times throughout the day, which helps when people’s schedules are full.

We want our audiences to leave our containers excited and this year we’re particularly intrigued about how our audiences will respond to ARCADE. We hope they’re interested in the different journeys other audience members have been on, and are excited to hear all the conversations that follow the show. The show is constructed for multiple visits and we’re putting in place a discount scheme for those who want to give it more than one go. 

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh during August or what are you most looking forward to?

I think if you can plan your visit, book the shows you like the look of, before you arrive you might have a better experience. Arriving unprepared can result in paralysis as there are so many things to see – which of course is what makes it so exciting. Make sure you leave space for the unexpected. Last year I randomly picked a show called Dark Noon by Fix+Foxy, and it was brilliant. I’m hoping to catch something as good again this year.