I’d Be Lost Without It

Equipped with a pair of headphones, each audience member enters the space of I’d Be Lost Without It listening to a creepily pleasant voice issuing instructions about how to behave. Some participants are instructed to take a seat, while others are encouraged to wander the outline of the performance area, occasionally glancing at one another (and trying to navigate the herculean obstacle of operating effectively with English manners while locked into a situation which is frequently teasing you for possessing them).

The show is positioned as a ‘seminar’, aiming to teach people about the possibilities and wonders of the digital world (with tongue clearly in cheek). Cleverly, a central tool of the piece involves issuing different instructions (via the wireless headsets) to different segments of the audience, creating interactive situations which are genuinely fun, light-hearted and unique to participate in. While this goes on, the hardworking cast does a fantastic job of maintaining an irrelevantly manic energy, which keeps the evening flowing smoothly (even after an hour or so of the audience having to stand on their feet).

It worked best when lampooning Tinder culture, social awkwardness and FOMO, but felt much weaker when it attempted to cover more ‘serious’ territory. The shift to exploring the concept of people filming acts of cruelty on their phones, or child exploitation, felt too shallow to adequately address those issues in a meaningful way, and instead became an awkward tonal shift which didn’t seem particularly insightful or impactful.

Still, this is a quirky, well-intentioned piece which is difficult not to enjoy. It probably won’t change the way you think about technology, but it’s still innovative enough to provoke a positive reaction and encourage more discussion around the subject.

The Old Market, 25 February 2018

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