In the Dark – St Bartholomew the Great

The declaration that ‘humanity is doomed’ has been haunting our imagination for millennia. In the past, extinction predictions came from tripping mystics or religious loons. Concerns regarding an apocalypse at the ‘hands’ of AI are currently spilling from Silicon Valley bigwigs, heavy with evidence and free from the delusions of historical doom mongers. If future generations exist, they’ll be mystified as to why we ignored the red flags and built data centres instead of houses.

The digital revolution has changed art and entertainment in a multitude of ways. Technical innovations are impressive, but our ‘online lives’ have overwhelmed the creative sphere with uniform impact. People are less present. Phones are everywhere. Geriatric Facebook addicts are babysitting toddlers on iPads as Drama and Music get dropped from the school syllabus.

My resistance to the digital regime is consistent, but one may as well shout at the wind. I try to support culture that celebrates and engages the human spirit, but digital footprints and cursed algorithms are ruling the roost. In the Dark feels like a lifeline to the soul as society drowns in a tetchy ocean of slop.   

In the Dark is 70-minute show performed entirely in the shadows. A company of 30 live musicians and vocalists move silently through the venue. Their soundtrack is unamplified, surrounding a seated audience who wear blackout eye masks for the duration. There’s no stage, dialogue, narrative or physical expression. Aside from a Health & Safety bare minimum, there’s no lighting of any kind. Also, you’re not allowed to go to the toilet, pop outside for a vape or slip off to the bar. You stay where you are for an hour. That’s the rule.

For this particular performance, the venue was the Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great, hidden away in the backstreets of Smithfield’s. The 12^th century building is almost a show in itself, with its epic history and ethereal atmosphere. During the Middle Ages, the priory was famed for miraculous healing powers and ‘light sent from heaven’. Perched on a cushioned pew in 2026, as sunset dwindled through Medieval windows, it was easier than usual to ponder the existence of God.

A sceptical actor might ask, ‘Yes, but is it THEATRE, dear?’ Absolutely, but the drama occurs on the stage in your mind. There’s a huge amount of choreography. Performers move around the venue with the sole intention of creating nuances in the perceptions of sound. Occasionally, a vocalist will feel quite close to your ear, while the harmonies of a choir feel comparatively distant. I removed my eye mask briefly and was surprised at the sheer scale of passage that was occurring. They were circling and crossing the venue en masse, to create a 360-degree audio for the audience. Some of the performers were carrying large instruments. All of them moved with a swift and determined pace. As I slid the eye mask back on, it was hard not to marvel at the musical manoeuvres. Wearing specially designed socks, their flow through the church was impressively silent. The audience only heard the sounds of an instrument or the voice of a passing chorister.

As the opening chords flooded both the space and my mind, my next thought concerned how to describe the music. Readers will yearn for a genre, so, what is it? It’s VERY Sigur Rós, I thought, but referencing a niche Icelandic post-rock band from 1994 seemed unhelpful and pretentious. The programme is titled HUSH and was shrouded in mystery until the end of the performance, where the composers and music were revealed. Sigur Rós, Coldplay, Ólafur Arnalds and Mumford & Sons all feature heavily.

It would be churlish to bitch about the song choices, as they were performed beautifully and this isn’t a pop concert or an avant garde recital. In moments, the music felt epic and uplifting, as layers of harmonies radiated over the audience. If you’re a fan of sea shanties, chamber music and nu-folk, In the Dark may take you to enlightened ecstasy.

Lacking fervent appreciation, but soothed with vague familiarity, I often found myself in the hinterland of dreams and meditation. I chose to sit close to the harp (Arwen Withey-Harrison), which was one of the few instruments that remained static. My location in the chapel meant those angelic strings were always in the foreground of my audio journey. That’s a rare and healing bliss, which blessed this listener, despite a deep and instinctive loathing for Mumford & Sons.

Personal music tastes are superfluous in this scenario, as In the Dark asks its audience to abandon the self and listen without prejudice. This is a radical act in 2026, and the bold venture was executed flawlessly. An absence of visual stimulation and a trip down the corridors of the mind are terrifying prospects for many, despite the well documented benefits. As we lose opportunities to find solace within, In the Dark is a reminder of what it is to be human and how the magic of music can feel utterly divine.

In the Dark is touring venues throughout the UK in autumn

in the dark | find tickets near you — in the dark

Reviewer: Stewart Who?

Reviewed: 17th September 2026
North West End UK Rating: