“Lest We See Where We Are” by Ant Hampton and Tim Etchells (2013)

“Lest We See Where We Are” is an autoteatro performance created by Ant Hampton (rotozaza) and Tim Etchells (Forced Entertainment). A single participant begins indoors, listening to an audio track and looking through a series of photographs.

The participant then is prompted to hang the boombox around their neck and take to the street. From out of the speakers comes a voice at high volume–but not sure of itself, rather anxious and indeterminate. It says embarrassing things. The participant with this device around her or his neck is perhaps unsure to what extent they as carrier are now responsible for what this voice is saying in public.

However: “No-one actually hears the voice though, except you. People walk by. The sound of the voice resonating around you is relayed binaurally to the headphones you’re wearing, and made palpable via synchronised and inaudible bass tones vibrating the radio in your arms. As the sole listener you’re at once following what’s being said and imagining being responsible for it.”

Premiered in the English-language version in Gent, Belgium, presented by Voohuit.