Little Lark of London

“Lay down and be bathed in sound and light”

Origin, a “deep listening art installation,” was created by Right/Left Project artists Stephen Dobbie and Colin Nightingale, who immersive theatre fans may recognise as members of Punchdrunk’s creative team for shows like Sleep No More and The Burnt City. This, however, is more of an art installation than an immersive show, though you may be reminded of some of the themes of their previous work throughout the experience. 

Inside the World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens, audience members are encouraged to lay down on mats on the floor, with pillows to rest their heads on. There are also some chairs that audience members can sit down on if they are unable to lie down or if all the mats have already been taken. The show’s music, composed by Toby Young, does a great job of immersing audiences within the sound, going along with the other noises as they swell and ebb. Combined with the lighting of Ben Donoghue (also the Creative Director), audiences are given a truly sensory experience, observing the origin of life within a small box in the centre of the room.

While it takes a little while to get into the themes of the installation, especially as one’s eyes are getting used to the darkness, the story becomes clearer, as the world itself is seemingly being created in front of our eyes. Our attention becomes focused on a large rectangular display case in the centre of the room, and it is only at the end of the installation’s loop that its contents are revealed, making for a satisfying conclusion. I really enjoyed the audio and visual experience of the installation, particularly moments in which the two would swell up together, reminding me of Punchdrunk’s The Burnt City in the best ways. 

Unfortunately, while the installation was fascinating, the audience experience had a strong negative effect on Origin as a whole. When you walk into the building, you are briefed in a small, cramped hallway by an unenthusiastic staff member reading off of a paper. You are then brought into a holding space with slightly darker lighting, which the staff member said would “supposedly” help our eyes adjust, though they doubted it actually worked. Finally, you are able to enter the space, where you are plunged into darkness in a room only lit bit a few small lantern-like lights in the corners of the room. 

I took the space recommended to me by the staff member, laying down on a mat towards one of the corners of the room. It was nearly impossible to see where I was going and I had to feel my way onto the mat, worried that I was going to bump into someone already on the floor. This did take a bit away from the experience’s goal of creating a calming space, and this would only continue throughout. It was surprising to see just how frequently audience members were able to enter the space, as it felt like each time I was just starting to get settled the door would open and bright light would filter through, disrupting the calm. At least four times I had people trip over me as the staff member sat on the opposite side of the room, doing nothing to assist – there was also someone who stepped on my pillow, dangerously close to my head. 

According to the site, the average visit lasts between thirty and forty minutes. I ended up being in the space for around an hour, watching the installation for two “repeats.” For one of these, I stood up and wandered closer to the box in the centre, watching the object inside be revealed for a second time before taking my leave. 

Ultimately, Origin is a great listening art installation in itself, but the audience experience greatly takes away from the experience as a whole. If there had been a stricter entry policy with more engaged staff members focused on the safety of audience members, I would have had a truly immersive and beautiful experience. 

Origin ran from 3 to 6 May at the World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens. You can find out more about the run here.

Photo Credit: Stephen Dobbie