Billed as “an experimental theater piece concerning the finish of an experimental theater,” this opening night time present within the 19th annual Underneath the Radar pageant turned out to be, because the title promised, an “Open Mic Evening” — however not, because the title implies, a voluntary one; this isn’t a present for theatergoers who’re spotlight-averse.
It started with Julia Mounsey sitting in entrance of a laptop computer and a microphone telling us about Life World, the unlawful efficiency house in Gowanus, Brooklyn she ran for 2 years with Peter Mills Weiss and others till it shut down final September – unlawful as a result of the constructing was on a block that was not zoned for leisure.
A couple of minutes into her description, whereas making enjoyable of how Weiss used to try a stand-up routine that was actually simply “crowd work,” Weiss himself walked by with a ladder and elaborately arrange a highlight. Then he walked to a microphone on the heart of the highlight – and activates the brilliant houselights, washing out the highlight. This received amusing. He tells us how anxious he’s, then begins what appeared to be a stand-up routine, one thing about bowling with numerous sauces. After a second, he mentioned “We’ll have to hurry issues up somewhat bit”…adopted by a protracted silence.
For the subsequent 45 minutes or so – by far the majority of the present — Weiss did standup as crowd work, asking questions of the viewers as a complete – “applaud for those who got here right here by practice….by bus….by automobile.” – and of every particular person within the theater. I don’t suppose he missed anyone. Generally he requested a multiple-choice query – “beer or wine,” “life or demise.” Generally he wished an essay, asking somebody to face earlier than the microphone to reward their theater companion. Generally the questions had been intentionally intrusive – which can be why Mounsey would sometimes use the laptop computer to make buzzing or beeping noises.
“Increase your hand for those who make greater than $10,000 a yr,” he started one routine. “Preserve your hand up for those who make greater than $20,000.” He continued at $10,000 increments all the best way as much as $200,000, when he turned to the one remaining gentleman along with his hand up, and mentioned “Would you contemplate supporting us…” This received amusing, however Weiss was critical; the person was led to the Q-code the place he may pay along with his smartphone (These codes had been used a short while afterward when Mounsey and Weiss introduced a cooler of soda cans to promote.)
For the final 5 minutes or so, they handed out photograph albums of a number of the reveals that had been carried out at Life World (“greater than a thousand unlawful performances,” Mounsey had instructed us), and Weiss mumbled out a monologue of reminiscences: “I keep in mind being within the crimson…I keep in mind the room…It was a spot that sensed its function,” he mentioned a number of occasions.
It was laborious to sense the aim of “Open Mic Evening,” which, like different Mounsey/Weiss reveals I’ve seen, appears to be each a spoof of one thing and the factor itself; sort of humorous, however principally bizarre. If nothing else, the efficiency is proof – an assertion? – that an experimental theater could die, however one thing calling itself experimental theater lives on. (Which I suppose makes it applicable to launch this yr’s back-from-the-dead Underneath the Radar pageant.)
Open Mic Evening is at Efficiency Area New York (150 1st Ave., Manhattan, 4th ground) by way of January 18. Operating time is about an hour.
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