Marketed as “immersive and experimental,” COMA more than exceeded my expectations. The show is a full body experience that deftly made me question my perception of reality — it feels both deeply relevant today, and a testament to how adaptable theatre can be.
Lying on bunk beds inside a shipping container, this show questioned human capacity, autonomy, and agency. It was primarily an audio track, given that audience members were lying in complete darkness on plastic bunk beds; however, this did not detract from the world building and eerie nature of the performance. Rather, we were forced to rely on our imagination, using the auditory stimulus to question whether we really were in another world or to trust the truth that we were in George Square, safe and dry.
A standout element of this performance was undoubtedly the audio track, which participants listened to through headphones attached to the bunks. The layers of sounds in it were particularly exceptional and brought the performance to life, making me question if someone truly was walking between the rows of bunks and inching closer to me or not. Similarly, the use of the air vents in the container to create certain smells (such as perfume) was an incredible touch that had me reconsidering the truth entirely.
Control, power, and bodily autonomy were key themes throughout the experience. While this was a fantastic way to question dystopian elements of the performance and the world we live in, it is worth acknowledging that this could be triggering for some. The audio track was also predominantly a man’s voice; personally, this added to the eeriness and sense of losing my control and grip on reality.
Make no mistake, this show is marketed as 14+ and could easily be 16+. As well as the trigger warnings on the Fringe website, audience members received an email with further advice that the show “contains themes of loss of bodily autonomy, medical procedures, comas and death.” Therefore, I would urge potential viewers to please properly consider before booking this show. Similarly, anyone who is claustrophobic may wish to avoid booking COMA as the rows of triple bunk beds could be a little overwhelming.
Overall, this was a stunning piece of immersive theatre that felt deeply relevant in the 21st century. COMA asked audiences to question every truth, think for themselves and to recognise the power in that, and the role of theatre in achieving this should not be underestimated.
COMA is running until 31 August at Darkfield COMA at Assembly George Square. Buy tickets here.
Image by Mihaela Bodlovic, provided to The Student for press use.
