A surprising podplay for two people set in the City of London

I find myself staring into a sea of strangers, peering through an alleyway into a collection of extras in the movie in my mind. The shadow of a cathedral looms behind me. Amongst the group, I recognize one. One person who is standing completely still. One person who is staring right back at me. My girlfriend smiles at me and then, she is gone. She disappears back into the crowd. I look back down at my phone and continue to follow its instructions, hoping that soon we might meet again.

A Hollow Body is a podplay app for two people designed for central London. You begin the story near the magnificent landmark of St Paul’s Cathedral, and, in sync, are asked to make selections through your phones. The two participants split up and are each given a different route to take through the city. (Having taken part in several podplay experiences, I am pleased to say that A Hollow Body doesn’t require extra downloads or pictures to take, and I experienced no audio errors during use.) Dependent on the time of day and time of year you do A Hollow Body, you may have a completely different experience than we had on a cold winter afternoon.

Divided into three chapters (See, Listen, Touch), A Hollow Body is a forty-minute experience, which takes listeners down the twisting and turning alleyways that make London so memorable. From passing busy offices to walking right next to someone’s kitchen window, it’s not your typical history walk or tourist path. Having lived in London for years, I was amazed at the new shortcuts I discovered, all of which had been hiding in plain sight.

You will get to explore the city together with your partner, but at times you will instead be told to take diverging paths, not knowing when you may meet again. I often found myself looking down an alleyway to see my partner passing through, or having to look up onto an overhanging bridge to try to catch a glimpse of her, all the while surrounded by the history and unique architecture of the capital.

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A Hollow Body enjoys playing with our perspectives throughout its duration. More specifically, it toys with the perspectives we have of each other as participants, both mentally and physically, as we make eye contact through crowds on busy streets. During the experience, I often contemplated what the other person must be thinking and wondered what they must be seeing or hearing.

The story itself is a winding tale of the city and of those who inhabit it. This podplay invites the participant to ponder the concept of sonder throughout its duration: the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own is one of the key facets of the experience. For every step you take during A Hollow Body, you are accompanied by a wonderfully creative and adaptive score which creates a sense of urgency and gives the experience the cinematic soundtrack it deserves. Running down cobble-stoned streets with fast-paced music playing in your ears, it is hard not to see yourself as the star of a new action film that until moments ago, you knew nothing about.

Commissioned by the Museum of London in 2015, I am pleased to have found this app and to have taken part in the experience. What was once a limited run engagement, is now an ongoing opportunity for adventure in the city, and as of January 2018, I am pleased to say that the direction and instructions still align with this ever-changing city. My partner and I were blown away by A Hollow Body, and even changed our evening plans afterward. Once you have completed the story, I’m sure you will find yourself making the same choice that we did: to explore the final location and to delve even further into the history of the city.

Whether you’re visiting London or have been a resident of the city for many years, setting aside 40 minutes to complete A Hollow Body is a great opportunity to gain a new perspective on the city, one that won’t be found in a guidebook.

A Hollow Body is available now for free download on iOS and Android.

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