Friendship may bloom from the most obscure places. Unstable Nightmare People’s I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE (IDWDTA) demonstrated how a bond formed over memes could blossom into a meaningful friendship.

IDWDTA is Unstable Nightmare People’s powerful debut production. Unstable Nightmare People is an up-and-coming experimental immersive group created by Joshua Simon and Samantha Simon (both known for their work on The Destroyer Sequence by Blackheart Collective). Quite frankly, I have been consistently blown away by the creative minds behind Blackheart Collective as they venture off to create their own experiences. Unstable Nightmare People is no different. IDWDTA proved to be soul-crushingly splendid.

IDWDTA is a week-long, one-on-one 21+ experience that deals with topics of sadness, loneliness, and suicide. Interactions are conducted via phone calls, text messages, and Instagram. Despite previous hesitations about the immersivity of an experience solely on calls and texts, I was blown away by my quick investment and involvement in the storyline.

IDWDTA presented itself as a riveting character-driven narrative in the form of back-and-forth conversations similar to those seen between two friends. In fact, I found myself quickly becoming friends with and caring about the main character, Charlie. Their journey began to intermingle effortlessly with mine, so much so that after a few of our calls I was left absolutely speechless. IDWDTA poetically crafted a compelling narrative and captivating voice to tell it. I was drawn into the story easily, and my emotional investment grew with every day.

I highly recommend I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE. IDWDTA captured my heart and the number one spot on my list of favorite experiences. It proved to be emotionally complex and passionate, and I loved every minute of my time with Charlie. I experienced an entire range of emotions throughout that week, and I am grateful I was able to explore an experience like this. After my week with Charlie, I can easily say that I would grab a cup of coffee with them any day.

For information on how to apply for an interview, check out Unstable Nightmare People on Instagram!