David Rosenberg’s work with Shunt has often played with the role of the audience – putting audiences in uncomfortable situations, forcing them to make decisions, pushing them into voyeuristic viewings of intimate situations. Ring sees audiences placed right at the centre of the action, and as a ‘performance’ delivered entirely in complete darkness it certainly breaks down the barriers of audience-performer relationships.
Before entering the Council Chamber at BAC we are handed a pair of radio headphones each, seated in a room arranged simply for what could be any general ‘help’ meeting, and greeted by an academic gentleman who suggests an air of psychological experimentation in his use of language.
The following 50 minutes, in pitch darkness, darkness so black you can’t see your hand in front of your face, are filled only with aural action. We hear (or think we hear) movements and voices in the room around us. A voice whispers so close to my ear that the warm breath itches my eardrum. I keep my eyes open throughout and wince as I feel chairs pulling away from me on either side and sense figures standing around me in a tight circle. It seems that there has been a mistaken identity, and I am at the centre of a dark and surreal plot that leaves me feeling vulnerable, intrigued and empowered. The heady mix of emotions and heightened senses is exhilarating, and whilst the darkness is inhibiting, the tone of the piece and dark subject matter also suggest that it is liberating. If no one can see me, no one can see what I do.
As theatre moves more and more into the realm of mixed media, the splicing of these two worlds can sometimes feel clunky and gimmicky. Ring, however, was neither of these, with clever writing, a careful setting, and the use of binaural sound technology creating an engaging and heavily visceral experience for the audience. Enabling an entirely personal encounter for each audience member and evoking fear, intrigue and uncertainty, Ring left me feeling utterly satisfied – having scarcely seen a performer, I felt like a star.