The field of experimental psychology arose during a time steeped in wonder and mystery. Spiritualism gained widespread influence, proposing that death was not an end but a transition. Mesmerists claimed to heal all ailments through the laying-on of hands. Early psychologists did not merely react to these remarkable phenomena—they incorporated them into their investigations of the human mind.

In this performance, cognitive scientist Anthony Barnhart alongside occult aficionado Joe Diamond explore these mid-19th century curiosities through interactive experiments, psychological illusions, and compelling storytelling.