Wish we’d looked this chilled on the way to the performance.

The Frequency Festival played host to Me and The Machine on October 23 and AltLinc were so excited at the prospect of experiencing  their performance named The Show Of Your Life that we tagged along. 

Me and the Machine are a “multidisciplinary performance group from Spain and the UK” who aim to combine everyday technology with live performance. The exhibition was free and ran every evening for the two weeks of the frequency festival.

The show was advertised as a ‘participatory exhibition’ and with the fear of not knowing quite what this meant leaving butteflies in our bellies, we set of to the exhibit on Sincil Street with no other expectation than to be entertained.

Initially I was disappointed as the exhibition door was the trade entrance around the back of a shop. It was very run down and lacked the impact I was expecting. I have to admit however, it was unusual.

Trades Description- Sadly the entrance didn’t look as shown in the flyer.

As we entered the door to the exhibition we were greeted by three other participants sat on chairs in a dull, fairly mundane corridor. The atmosphere was filled with uncertainty and tension as we waited to be called in to the exhibit one by one. I have to say I’d never been to an exhibition quite like it.

As the person before me was called in the butterflies in my belly grew and when the door opened for me, due to the mystery and anticipation of the experience, the butterflies had grown into an uncontrolable swarm.

I was handed video-goggles and headphones to wear and was told to relax and follow the film until the show was over.

Hands, that I can only assume belonged to one of the producers rested on my shoulders and as the feet on the video walked forwards I was told to do the same. Throughout the show I sang, danced, walked and made crucial decisions which implicated the next stage of the participatory exhibition. After around 20 minutes at the end of the show a voice in my ear wished me good luck, I was about to start the game… my headphones and video-goggles were taken off and I walked through the door infront of me, what was on the other side? Shhhhh! That’s a secret only I and the other participants know!

The exhibition certainly fulfilled my expectation for entertainment and participating in an exhibition is something I would certainly do again. I can’t wait to explore the rest of @frequency_fest.

Frequency Festival Trailer 2013  by Graham Cooper with soundtrack by David McSherry.

What about you? Did you go? Or do you want to now? Let us know your thoughts- @alternativelincoln #AltEvents