Review: 1000 Doors

A crowded maze of mysteries

★★
theatre review (adelaide) | Read in About 2 minutes
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1000 Doors
Published 17 Feb 2020

Behind one door is a corridor that looks like an abandoned psych ward. Behind another is a staircase to nowhere with ominous banging coming from beneath. A third reveals a dark chamber that smells of mildew. Throughout, relics of past lives are strewn across the floor as if they were abandoned hurriedly.

Some rooms have themes that are immediately obvious while others require more exploration, but each one poses a question. At its best 1000 Doors is a chance to ponder these mysteries and get lost in flights of imagination. Unfortunately, the sheer number of people being herded through means that any such musings are frequently broken in on.

The first part of this labyrinthine installation is largely linear, and as I ponder the stories that each chamber holds I find myself constantly interrupted by other groups who enter at 30 second intervals. Instead of a sense of discovery and wonder, the overwhelming feeling is of being rushed. It’s like watching a horror movie next to someone intent on having a loud conversation during the most suspenseful scenes.

1000 Doors is skilfully designed with dozens of connected rooms and corridors that make the most of the 400 square metre footprint. But to get the most out of the experience, it’s probably best to go after dark and choose a weeknight when it’s less crowded so you can more fully engage with it.