Alone is a performance art installation. No, scratch that — it's a psychological experiment. Created by Los Angeles-based artist Devon Paulson and film producer Lawrence T. Lewis, it hurls participants into a city-wide, 'haunted house'-style scenario. And it's coming to Australia.
Aided by a crowd of actors, the hour-long walkthrough will see participants transported around Melbourne, into inexplicable, scary or hilarious situations that are designed to mess with their sanity. Participants must sign a waiver beforehand and be in good physical and mental health, which just might says something about what the night will involve. They're then taken to a secret location to begin their terrifying abduction. No mobile phones are allowed and it's likely that your clothes will get dirty.
"Alone explores the complex folds of the human psyche and the human condition, from the inside out," says Paulson. "The truth is that one needs to experience Alone to understand it." According to the website, "your body may be aggressively touched and moved or tenderly embraced or utterly left displaced and alone".
Despite having organised the event 18 times over the last six years, the creators refuse to reveal details of previous stints. "What I can say is that the situations will cause participants to traverse the spectrum of human emotion," says Paulson. "But the crucial goal is to dislocate you, from the world, from others, from comfort, from self."
And yes, it begins on Valentine's Day — but it's a completely solitary journey, so don't think about bringing your date. "Some experiences you may find yourself in a group situation, but as in life, you will eventually find yourself to be alone," reads a hard-hitting FAQ on the Alone website.