In the Dark
Words By: Lily Egleton
It is rare that I - a great lover of mascara and eyeliner - would be willing to go to an event where I could knowingly get my eye makeup ruined. But there I sat wearing a plush eye mask in the Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great located within Smithfield in the City of London. Only 15 minutes away from my cosy little flat in East London stands the beautiful Church which you can picture starring in every Gothic feature film you've ever watched, adorned with a clock tower, an Oriel Window, and dimly-lit interiors, lit up only by flashes of pink and gold.
When I read the description of 'in the dark', I struggled to imagine exactly how they might achieve this. The touring event describes itself as bringing together a crowd to witness thirty live, unamplified musicians moving around you, while you are embraced by darkness, zero distractions, and can be fully engulfed by the music. Now does it fully live up to its promise of zero distractions? If you are expecting complete silence, you might want to prepare for the odd giggle of somebody in a seat behind you; guests shuffling around on their creaky chairs, and occasional chatting.
But generally, I would say that I was fully immersed. The plush eye mask 'in the dark' provides you with truly is foolproof I could not see a thing. While the thirty musicians made their way around the Church, seamlessly ebbing and flowing between each row and each corner of the building, the music was so varied and so unexpected. At the beginning of the night, the founder promised guests that we would not be able to hear the shuffling of musicians which was absolutely guaranteed by their sticky-socks that made their movement silent. Instead, I would occasionally be surprised at how close the vocals were to me, and how it gave me shivers every time.
We were not told beforehand which songs to expect. In fact, programs were delivered to us only after the show. Perhaps it's because my taste in music is a little more niche, but I did not recognise a single song which only added to the ambience of surprise and excitement. With songs like 'Midnight' and 'When I Need a Friend' by Coldplay; 'After the Storm' by Mumford & Sons; 'Winter' by Mree, and 'The Southern Sea' by Garth Stevenson, I would say the casual listener would definitely enjoy this varied setlist. Each song was reworked in its own unique way, blending into one another seamlessly in a way that told me a cohesive story without even having to listen to the lyrics.
'in the dark' is divided into two thematic events: HUSH and PULSE. I attended its HUSH performance which is the theme for its first UK tour. HUSH is leaving London for the very first time this autumn, entering beautiful landmarks and cathedrals all around England. Venues on the tour list include: Bristol Cathedral, Chichester Cathedral; St. Albans Cathedral;All Saints Hove; Tewkesbury Abbey, and Guildford Cathedral. PULSE - which builds upon the exploration of darkness; movement, and thorough immersion - begins its London tour in late-October.
It is rare to find an event that feels suitable to all. 'in the dark' marks an ideal perfect intersection of beauty; architecture; a mixture between classical and modern sounds, and sensory experiences. Whether it's your family, partner, friend, or a solo date, this feels like the perfect experience to take yourself on this Autumn and Winter. I'm excited to see where else 'in the dark' will travel to, and how many nuanced routes this could take. I can picture 'in the dark' taking a form in so many different musical genres, and I might just return to PULSE this Autumn, and I recommend you do the same.
