My husband was given tickets to see this performance art show last night.
My husband said he was told it was an immersive light show. I was thinking that it was supposed to be like the immersive Van Gogh exhibit.
Apparently I got the name wrong which is why I couldn't find anything about it online.
So we show up to this unmarked building downtown that has a security guard and a merch table outside...
Upon entering the building, my husband said it might be a haunted house but wasn't sure if people in character would jump out at us.
The costumed staff led everyone in through this maze of rooms and then kept moving us through rooms to watch this performance art.
*Cue record scratch*
What in the Marina Abramovic is this?
Baby crib with candles around it? Some sort of esoteric symbol on the floor with pillars and candles as if someone is going to conjure something. Straight up occult and kabbalah symbols and writing everywhere.
Immediately I was like "HARD NOPE. Jesus. Holy Spirit. Father God... Need protection around us immediately. We are not participating in whatever this is."
I'm looking around and I'm like, "hell no, not today Satan."
While this girl was doing this dance on a bed I looked over at the wall and saw this on the wall and floor. - "As above" written above the crib in reference to the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, but more commonly associated with Satanism. There was also a giant kabbalah tree of life on the floor.
No. No. No.
Needless to say my husband and I bounced the second the doors were opened to the outside of this warehouse maze.
THE GOOD
Timing: Okay from a technical standpoint this is an incredible feat of live choreography combined with animated projections. The choreography timing is absolute perfectionin conjunction with the video and lighting components throughout the show. I can't imagine what a nightmare it was to time everything.
Set design: clearly the set designer is well versed in esoterica and the occult. Pieces from alchemy, occultism, kabbalah, Gnosticism, New Age and Satanism were huge parts of both the story and the set design. The set was incredibly detailed and scary AF when you noticed the details.
Technology: Think more like a more advanced technology built on Pokemon Go. There were hand mirrors with screens that would show things that weren't there when aiming at a specific spot on the wall.
There were also fake spray paint cans that you could actually press the nozzle down and on the screen in front of you it would light up exactly where you were aiming. It was instantly responsive.
There were also unicorn horn flashlights that would have projections play in the wall wherever you pointed it at the wall. I'm guessing the wall itself is the screen?!I have no idea how the technology works but it was interesting.
THE BAD:
Crowd: you kind of shuffle around as a group and it makes it hard to see everything. I almost tripped over another customer who was sitting on the floor.
Storyline:
Heavy gnostic-influenced storyline about demon god kings, pride, creation and accepting the dark within. No thanks.
Overall:
While on a technical level the production is well done, the theme and story is extremely polarizing and for me, totally not something I'd ever recommend for people to see. I don't mess with the occult. I don't think magick and archons and spells are something to play around with.
Would have loved to have seen this immersive technology showcased with a different theme and story.