Thursday, August 08, 2019
Review: GALLERIA ESPERIENZA - IMMERSIVE, INTERACTIVE THEATER
One of many possible goals of theater is to give each member of the audience an experience that enriches their life. Immersive theater [* see below] can do that in very special ways!
There is a very nice installation of 5 related interactive, immersive experiences currently at 20 Clinton Street, on the East side of Manhattan, just south of Houston. It accompanies a gallery of black and white photographs by Saam Aghevli at the "Galleria Esperienza” (which, modestly, so far, has no promotion outside, other than a neon sign saying "Play" on the Gallery window).
The Library
Photo by Alba Vigaray
Most of the experiences are fifteen minutes long and one-on-one (one “interactor” / host with one audience member). These include a cultural experience in the library ("sshh!"), a game (be silly), and a relaxation station.
Another experience includes a bartender and up to four or so audience participants; this might be the ideal bar you wish you could spend every night in, with a bartender who expertly guides a multi-player conversation.
Note: Worthwhile experiences can (and should!) push your boundaries, but the hosts adapt to any objections instantly, without objection, and continue the experience with whatever your comfort level may be. Nothing happens without your full comfort.
[*] Immersive theater loosely refers to theatrical experiences where the audience mingles directly with the actors and participates in the same space in which the actors move around. Leading examples are THEN SHE FELL from Third Rail Projects and SLEEP NO MORE.
Immersive theater is live, with the actors and audience occupying the same physical space, and with the optional possibilities of interactivity, multiple players, and the involvement of senses including sight, sound, and touch, and even taste, smell, temperature and gravity. It can be a single scene or consist of multiple scenes; if it includes multiple scenes, then real time, physical movement is necessary when changing either the scenery or cast in a single location, or using multiple locations, requiring the audience to move.
ROLL THE BONES, and co-founder of ROLL THE BONES Theater Company, Taylor Myers, a veteran of New York’s premiere immersive theater experiences including SLEEP NO MORE and THIRD RAIL, organized and produces The Galleria Esperienza.
I highly recommend the Galleria Esperienza experience: both to anyone who loves immersive theater, and everyone who has not yet experienced the revelations of immersive, interactive theater!
Tickets available at the venue:
Walk-in!
20 Clinton Street
New York, NY
LINKS
ROLL THE BONES – GALLERIA ESPERIENZA
http://www.rollthebonestheatre.com/new-page-3
ROLL THE BONES – HOME PAGE (click the three-bar-menu icon on top left for more)
http://www.rollthebonestheatre.com/
IMMERSIVE THEATER - WIKIPEDIA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immersive_theater
SLEEP NO MORE - QPORIT
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/05/sleep-no-more-review-guide.html
Labels: GALLERIA ESPERIENZA, immersive interactive theater, immersive theater, ROLL THE BONES, Saam Aghevli, Sleep No More, Taylor Myers, Third Rail
