Slung Low's They Only Come At Night: Visions at the Barbican

Slung Low's They Only Come At Night: Visions at the Barbican

02 November, 2009
by: Nuria

You might need this...                                            Photo: Elliott Franks        

The setting couldn't be more perfect for attending a performance piece at the Barbican titled They Only Come At Night: Visions – it's a dark, misty autumnal evening and tomorrow is Halloween. As I enter the foyer where the 'walk-through atmospheric experience' begins, my skin crawls with anticipation. It turns out, though, that while this premise certainly delivers, the concept behind it is a muddled one.

Yorkshire company Slung Low's last project was inspired by a real-life murder and this time, they take their cue from the current trend for all things vampire-related. The accompanying programme invites the audience to enter a 'mythical world of vampires and hunters, […] of motiveless violence, heroic failures and glorious last stands, [...] a battle between light and darkness.' It's a poetic description sure to pique anyone's curiosity, but for something that lasts a mere 35 minutes, it's a tall order.

The piece, which is performed to groups of three, begins with an actress in a bright blue and yellow stewardess outfit introducing herself and asking if we're ready for our night-time tour of London. It's both novel and chilling to realise that we're not just passive audience members but crucial participants, assuming roles as tourists whose sightseeing is about to go awry – so far, so cool.

Equipped with glow sticks and head torches, we're ushered into a jeep where our 'tour' begins. Expectancy is satisfied when the vehicle grinds to a halt following a thump on its roof and our 'tour driver' dashes out, stranding us in the Barbican's labyrinthine parking lot. A recorded voice instructs us to get out and walk to three nearby salt circles where pairs of headphones await. We're told to be vigilant because 'they' might be after us – ooh.

The scenarios that follow are in turns genuinely spooky and numbingly confusing. They're right to use the word 'atmospheric' in the publicity notes – the piece's strength undoubtedly lies in the sensations it provokes. The association of basement parking lots with uncertainty and danger is exacerbated by the use of smoke machines, bloody props, lurking figures and unidentifiable noises.

Having successfully coaxed us into suspending our disbelief and inhabiting a 'mythical world', what proves harder, however, is sustaining it. A great many minutes are spent being talked at via recordings and though the voice actors are adequately sinister, the monologues they recite are too dense. After a few biblical references, a philosophical discourse on fear and repeated mentions of an elusive character called Quinn, I find myself tuning out.

Meanwhile, the piece's interactive climax, where each participant is pulled into an enclosed space by a 'vampire hunter' and confronted with frantic ramblings and point-blank questions about loyalties, is both its most thrilling and most awkward element. I find myself wanting to immerse myself into the story, but the fact that it's so loosely constructed means I can't do it without giggling. 



Are you one of them?                                                 Photo: Elliott Franks

Overall, They Only Come At Night: Visions is nicely executed as an atmospheric experience, but falls flat in its attempts to craft a coherent, workable plot. Still, Slung Low deserves credit as an innovative company pushing the boundaries of theatre, both through resourcefully utilising public spaces and creating platforms for audience involvement. For this alone, their work is worth checking out.


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Nuria