The initial venue for The Door in Question is an abandoned shopping centre. Here you will find helpful volunteers who will provide you with a brief explanation of how everything works. But mystery still prevails over the actual mechanics. The show promises to involve VR, interactive AI and immersive theatre.
This is what happens: you start off in a cube with a simple meditation exercise and are then prompted to answer some questions before putting on the VR headset and heading out into the shopping centre. The empty spaces and shops are transformed into fantastical landscapes with audio that teases out the beginnings of the story while also guiding you around the space. The imagery in the VR is impressive as you wander around the space taking everything in. However, it does feel like more could’ve been made of the storyline, because at this point of the experience it’s a bit too vague and hard to focus on while taking in the VR sights.
Upon the conclusion of this first section, you continue out on to the streets of Footscray with a guided audio tour that references the area as well as adding to the ongoing narrative. This short interlude is a lot of fun; most participants will be sure to attract looks from bystanders wondering just what you are up to. The story that is woven into the walking tour becomes more interesting as you progress through the suburb’s streets.
The last section is an unused shop that has been turned into a fantastic set of rooms to explore while the story is built up through audio and video depictions and other elements as well. This part of The Door in Question is the highlight. Each room is cleverly designed. As you head into each successive room there is a real sense of anticipation of what might come next. For all the impressiveness of the VR technology, the immersive theatre of the house was much more fulfilling in terms of story and the overall adventure one undertakes.
Read: Sleepless in Footscray
The themes explored in The Door in Question are potentially triggering, with references to death, abuse and mental illness, so potential visitors should be aware of this. There are some minor scares and creepy moments, but nothing that would trouble most attendees. It is also worth noting that this is a solo experience that runs for approximately 90 minutes, depending on how much time you take exploring. This reviewer had a couple of technical hiccups with the VR headset but the friendly production team were quick to assist.
The Door In Question is a unique mix of technology and immersive theatre. While the VR is impressive, the immersive rooms are much more engaging and better at mixing story and experience into a coherent whole. The science fiction narrative is thought-provoking and explores difficult questions. If you are comfortable with the subject matter and like a little bit of mystery, then this is well worth visiting the inner west suburb of Footscray – especially if you live there – to check it out.
The Door in Question
47 Paisley St, Footscray
Produced by Troy Rainbow
Tickets: $30
The Door in Question will be performed until 17 May as part of Sleepless Footscray Festival.
