They’ve summoned spirits in ‘Séance’, flown into the unknown in ‘Flight’ and thrust audiences into a fractured dream state in ‘Coma’. . . Now, Realscape Productions and Darkfield returns to the Adelaide Fringe with the South Australian premiere of their immersive new show ‘Eulogy’.

Set inside a pitch-black shipping container ‘Eulogy’ transports audiences to a mysterious (at times foreboding) hotel, where they are guided through a labyrinth of corridors, rooms and elevators by an unseen companion whose intentions are questionable at best.

Like its sister shows, ‘Eulogy’ uses binaural sound technology to create a surreal 3D listening experience which is both entertaining and unnerving. Robbed of your sight by the impenetrable darkness of the container, your awareness of the world around you is shaped solely by what you can hear and this creates an uneasy feeling of vulnerability as you await your fate in total darkness. A hauntingly realistic soundtrack of footsteps, voices and machinery bombard you from every angle, pushing your remaining senses into overdrive as your imagination takes hold. Is someone really breathing in your ear? Are people really walking past you in the cramped container or are you imagining it all?

This already intense experience is further heightened by the show's use of speech recognition technology which allows you to interact with the 'people' you encounter in the hotel and, on more than one occasion, I found myself searching the darkness for people I knew logically couldn’t be there; but if I was talking to them, they had to be, right?

‘Eulogy’ features a complex and intricately-detailed storyline which unfolds across multiple floors within the hotel and the constantly changing environment does little to calm your nerves. As the story unfolds and you are whisked from room to room, it is easy to lose your bearings and this, combined with the oppressive darkness of the container and the unnerving feeling of being followed and watched, is enough to send shivers down your spine.

I left the experience on Tuesday 1 March feeling like I hadn’t understood the full complexity of the plot, and while this may be disappointing for some, those with an active imagination will find themselves pondering the show's multiple interpretations long after they leave the garden. Being able to converse with the characters also raises questions about how much of our experience is shaped by our interactions, and I would be interested to see if (and how) my experience changes were I to see the show again but change the answers I gave.

A mind-bending experience which will challenge your grasp on reality.

★★★★☆

‘Eulogy’ plays in the Garden of Unearthly Delights (Adelaide Fringe) until 20 March.