Review: COMA by DARKFIELD

Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

COMA, which first premiered in 2019, invites guests to enter a collective dream as part of a collective medical experiment. Lying in a whitewashed bunk bed, barely big enough to stretch out in, each participant is prompted to ingest a white pill laid out by their bed and slip away into a state of unconsciousness. A male voice slowly counts down from 10 and asks us to focus on remembering the details of the space, as the lights fade and total darkness takes over.

Easily the most claustrophobic of DARKFIELD's offerings, thanks to the tight sleeping arrangements, COMA takes great delight in toying with its audience, keeping them on edge throughout. Through headphones, the voice of the Doctor, which acts as the driving force throughout the experiences, constantly moves around the space. At first, it appears they're in the far corners of the room before moments later appearing alongside you, seemingly bending down to whisper into your ear.

Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

In the background, hushed conversations from the other patients and staff members imply there's movement happening throughout the space, despite everyone being confined to their bunks. Nurses open and close curtains around you, offering little in the way of privacy and protection against whatever forces are at play within the facility.

Alongside mention of people's perfumes, or the broken coffee machine, come matching smells, pumped directly into the container, and a small sliding shutter beside your head seemingly opens and closes at regular intervals, as if you're being observed up close.

Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

While COMA encourages participants to enter into a meditative state, there's so much going on around you; you're never able to truly relax into your surroundings, and if anything, you're more on edge than when you first entered. By the show's climax, it's hard to tell if what you're experiencing has been curated as part of the show or was a figment of your imagination, as you lie immobilised.

★★★

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This review of COMA is from DARKFIELD's London residency at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in October 2025. For more information on DARKFIELD and their upcoming shows, visit darkfield.org