Everyone Dreams Of Burning Alive
07 June 2026
Theatre Deli
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
As part of Voidspace Live 2026, The Missing Theatre staged its interactive durational performance Everyone Dreams Of Burning Alive. A marathon 4hr show, which I got to visit throughout its running time to see its beginning, several midway points, and ending, gaining a rounded experience of the interactive piece.
Two rooms are marked out, one holds furniture, items, and a microphone, the other holds a being at first unconscious on the floor. An original score sets a moody backdrop, while the recorded words of audience members play through a chance-based sound system. One attendee at a time is invited to step into the marked off room, interact with the being, and record answers to questions defining the human experience.
The performance feels sprawling and deep, evolving through many stages of being through its four hour run. The beginning is suspended in a state of ethereal surrealism before audiences lend their voices to the haunting score playing in the background. A little slow to start, the public hesitant but curious at first, it proceeds to unfold into a fascinating exploration of the human condition and the meaning of consciousness, memory, sentience. As audience members answer questions like “where does fear begin in the body?” or “why are you afraid of the dark?”, the being in the second room slowly awakens, moving their body with the recorded words, grasping to understand, to make sense of it all. At times resting or frantic, on occasion deeply connecting to a participant and mirroring their every move, the being blooms and evolves, reaching out for understanding and connection.
The whole experience is intangibly sublime, a fleeting but bespoke encounter that evolves with and around its audience. As people open up and share deeply personal memories, their experiences are mirrored, explored, understood. As the atmosphere shifts and envelops observers, the overlaid recordings become increasingly intertwined and frantic, reaching a deafening crescendo before it all collapses and is reset. The fleeting nature of the performance adds to its fascination, deeply connecting to the intrinsically human core that is so difficult to put into words.
