Truthmachine @ NAFA 2024- 10/10/24

Truthmachine is an immersive, fringe experience that plunges participants into a gripping 30-minute interrogation fueled by a polygraph machine. The aim? To determine if a selected, consenting subject—in this case, a bloke named Ryan—can bluff the lie detector while the audience (acting as the "jury") must sift through his responses, separating truth from lies.

Set against the eerie glow of expertly timed lighting and an atmospheric soundscape, Truthmachine feels like something straight out of George Orwell's 1984. The experience is both confronting and humorous, weaving tension and levity together as participants are invited to engage with the technical props.

From watching and hearing the polygraph provide its analysis of every answer to hearing the host pepper the subject with questions, the audience is fully immersed in the act of uncovering truth. Despite the intense premise, the show often leans into humour, offering comic relief in otherwise tense moments. It is a thrilling, psychological trip that challenges your instincts while keeping you on the edge of your seat.

Truthmachine stands out as a Fringe experience like no other at this year’s NAFA. Its clever use of technology, sharp interrogation structure, and dystopian undertones make it both unsettling and entertaining—a must-see for fans of immersive theatre looking for something daring and original.