June 1, 2010
Survive: A New Theatrical Experience by Swim Pony Performing Arts
Swim Pony Performing Arts is a brand new Philly-based theatre company established by a performing arts collective that’s put on Fringe Festival hits for the past three years.
They are dedicated to producing adventurous and experimental work, which also means work that is entirely original. No Shakespeare here, folks! Instead they’re presenting the world premiere of SURVIVE! – an interactive theatre piece which is a site-specific performance/installation combo.
Part performance, part art exhibit, part wandering through a maze, and part choose-your-own-adventure story, SURVIVE! takes on themes of science and humanity’s existence in the universe in an extremely quirky way. Audience members will wander through 20,000 square feet of the Wolf Building (one of Philly’s favorite experimental theatre spaces), guided by “a tenth dimensional narrator” named AMA.
Back story: in 1972 NASA launched a pair of satellites named Pioneer into space. Each was fitted with a plaque intended for any intelligent beings who found it. Its message to the universe was “We are humanity. We are here.” Now, supposedly, we’ve received a message back. It is: “Yes, you are here. And now you need to understand what that means.”
Will SURVIVE! reveal the answer? It seems like a pretty weighty question, so I’m not counting on it. What I am counting on is an awesome new piece of experiential theater by a vibrant new company that I hope will be an up-and-coming part of Philly’s edgy theatre scene.
SURVIVE!
June 4th – 20th
www.swimpony.org
Underground Arts at the Wolf Building
340 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
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(1 response)
June 1, 2010, 1:00 pm
Kate says:
I experienced “SURVIVE!” today. It is a very difficult piece to describe but what I can say is that I found it amazing. I am considering going again next weekend. In the past, I haven’t gotten around to seeing much in the way of theatre pieces, but “SURVIVE!” has left me with a sense of wonder and a keen interest in exploring experimental theatre. Kudos to Swim Pony!
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