At Conway Hall

Foolish People is a banner under which a collection of artists create immersive art. The Virulent Experience is the first of their pieces that I’ve been aware of, and they will definitely remain on my radar.

What if you thought that mankind was broken? What if you thought you could fix it?

The year is 2040. Human emotion is safely controlled. Your candidacy is appreciated in bringing us into this new world. Your presence confirms your consent. Remember, you consent was given, even if you do not remember the fact.

What if the fix was flawed? What if you could give people freedom?

The Virulent Experience is an interactive theatre cum installation. Conway Hall was perfect for it, right down to the dank in the basement. I was unsure what to expect or even how to paraphrase their description. Now having been I am still having trouble describing what I have witnessed without spoilers. It was definitely an experience.

All other memories and experience prior to receipt of the Welcome Pack are suspect, and may be remnants of Induction implantation.

The Virulent Experience was like a guided tour meets the Stanford Prison Experiment. When there are four walls the only thing left to break is your brain. It was an immersive glimpse into a scenario which unfolded all around you. With the characters spread across a douzen rooms with colliding agendas and narratives.

The scenario unfolds three times of an evening with each conversation giving a glimpse into a greater whole. I found myself being more captivated and compelled to find out the details the more I probed. The rest of the evening had my friends and I discussion what we had witnessed and where our paths had diverged. I’m reminded of Mercury Fur in its singular continuation, except the stage is whichever room you choose to be in.

You are free from Bandwidth limitations. You may experience however and whatever you wish.

Having gone I have more questions than answers. There was a strong sense of narrative and purpose. There is only so much that can be witnessed in a single visit. I have witnessed what happens, but much of the why and how elude me. Yet, every step was with purpose.

This was a very polished production. My only disappointment is that I went towards the end of the run and I won’t have the chance to go again. Foolish People are definitely on my watch list now, and I look forward to what they have prepared for us next.

The Virulent Experience sadly ends this Friday, but I look forward to Strange Factories their first feature film. Its in post-production now and is slated for sometime next year.