A weekly feature pointing you towards the current experiences that have people talking.
For people who think the Roaming Gnome didn't go far enough…
Little Amal Walks NYC [NEW YORK CITY]
The hauntingly serene activist art project travels across the ocean for a whirlwind tour of the five Burroughs like no other. Little Amal is a sophisticated twelve foot tall puppet created by the legendary Handspring Puppet Company and brought to exquisite, affecting life by a team of performers working in tandem to embody the innocence, open-heartedness, and curiosity of a ten year old girl. The character Amal, named for the Arabic word meaning “hope,” is a Syrian refugee, and is intended as a symbol “too big to ignore” used to bring attention to children of all walks of life who have fallen victim to the global refugee crisis and raise money for their welfare through the Amal Fund. A breathless nineteen days will see forty entirely unique events in just as many locations woven together as spontaneous events in a narrative charting Amal’s emotional, at times overwhelming exploration of the city. Every moment is centered around the young girl’s experience with sensitivity and gentleness, depicting joy and despair, wonder and anxiety, and the kindness and generosity with which we should hold for everyone we meet.
Why we think you’ll love it: Little Amal has already been spreading awareness and touching hearts in her travels across over a dozen countries, arriving for the first time. While many of her engagements will be punctuated by countless local performers from a wide variety of cultures and artistries coming out to support Amal along her path, the real magic lies in meeting Little Amal herself. The delicacy with which she explores the world around her, the tenderness of her eyes closing as a passerby reaches up for a comforting embrace. Little Amal inspires deep expressions of empathy, understanding, and care; feelings we as a society will hopefully afford to all children in need.
For people who Always Seek Major Relaxation...
Whisperlodge [SINGAPORE]
The immersive phenomenon that sent chills up and down America packs up its brushes to sooth the other side of the world for a brief, but assuredly stimulating engagement. ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response for people like me who never actually looked up what the acronym stood for until now) is the sensory phenomenon experienced by some people when certain visual/auditory stimuli can trigger what can only be described as "pleasurable tingles.” Made famous by a generation of YouTube content creators speaking in hushed tones as they scraped their nails across their incredibly sensitive microphones, Whisperlodge endeavors to up the ante with an entirely live and in person one-on-one session that past participants have confirmed is more intense than simply watching the videos, but still an ultimately relaxing experience. Your personal guide leads you through the atmospheric serenity of the space, employing a wide variety of ASMR implements to coax a reaction, from the gentle scratching of brushed hair and the crinkling of homemade slime to the plaintive hum of a copper meditation bowl and the satisfying pop of bubble wrap, whatever your specific trigger may be, you’re sure to feel something.
Why we think you’ll love it: Already boasting sold out runs in several cities across the country, a revival in an entirely different country is a new and exciting development for any piece of immersive theatre, putting Whisperlodge on an incredibly short list of experiences produced globally, hopefully signaling the beginning of a trend of creators sharing/licensing their work to reach new markets and cultures.
For people who know seasick and lovesick can be similar sensations...
Love Lust Lost [AUSTRALIA]
The tantalizing siren song of Broad Encounters beckons sea-faring adventurers to an entrancing, intoxicating, wholly unexplainable voyage into the unknown. A bubbling concoction of literary flotsam and jetsam pooled together from the works of famously nautically-minded wordsmiths like Jules Verne, Hans Christian Anderson, and Joseph Conrad mix together in a fully immersive, completely interactive experience. After a few rousing rounds at the local harbor tavern The Ostrich and the Squid all manor of fortifying brews to warm the cockles of any sailors’ lingering nerves before setting sail, the mysterious Captain Anderson welcomes you aboard as the newest members of his crew. Once on board, the good Captain steers you right into the ripples and eddies of conflicting plot lines mixed together in a tempestuous narrative whirlpool that pulls audiences under, submerging them completely in the world of the many characters roaming the decks. Chart your own course and follow in the wake of whatever or whoever may strike your fancy.
Why we think you’ll love it: This experience has been eliciting strong reactions from its audiences, ascribing all manor of adjectives to it like “enthralling,” “sexy,” "mesmerizing,” “intense,” and best of all, “incredibly immersive.” Sounds like the sort of show that would make me book passage and say goodbye to dry land for good.
**This listing was suggested by community member Kathryn Yu. Thanks, Kathryn! Have an upcoming/ongoing immersive experience that has you buzzing? Point it out to us through pitches@noproscenium.com with the subject line "I Found A Trailhead" and we might include it in the next issue!