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Take 3
Three different IN reporters review the same improvised show. This month, tragedy hits the subway.
Tragic Improv's "Epione"
Improv isn’t
always funny, and sometimes it isn’t meant to be. Tragic Improv’s Epione
strives to make each performance an honest portrayal of fringe experiences that
occur on the New York City subway system. After four weeks of developing characters
and costumes, Epione players invade a random subway car with a group of covert
audience members in tow. What follows is a performance with improvised dialogue
and blocking in the midst of unsuspecting riders, a thought-provoking treat for
those in on the secret.
Epione's Secret Subway Show, Take 1
Reviewer: Sasheer
I have seen some outrageous people and scenarios on the subway, as most New Yorkers have. But what if you found out that some of these scenarios were performances, and what if you were in on it? That’s what happened when I went to see Tragic Improv’s Epione in one of their Secret Subway Shows.
The audience met in a secret location where the director explained how the performance would run. The audience had to make sure not to watch the performers as if they were watching a show, so in a way, we were also part of the performance. We walked to a subway station and the director gave the signal for the audience and performers to get on when the right train arrived. We were not introduced to the performers, but they were easy to spot once they began. There was a woman hysterically crying and a stranger trying to console her, a man lamenting to himself about being laid off, a mentally handicapped man and his helper, two angry friends, and a girl ranting about societal flaws; all plausible scenes you could see on a subway, but maybe not all in one car.
As an audience member, it was like watching two shows: the
action of the performers, and the reactions of the passengers. I could tell
some people couldn’t believe so much activity was going on in our car. One
woman suspected something was up and asked, “Is this a play?” but was silenced
by one performer’s rant which may have shocked her into thinking the
performance was real. The actor’s rant was a monologue about people not
acknowledging each other in public situations. She pointed out how people try
their hardest to avoid each other on the train, just like the passengers who
tried to ignore her as she spoke. I believe that was the moral of the show: we
have to recognize each other as fellow human beings.
Watching the shock of the subway riders and receiving a lesson about social relationships was worth the two-dollar train fare. In this performance, Tragic Improv used improv to do more than just make people laugh; they made people think and take notice of the world around them.
Epione's Secret Subway Show, Take 2
Reviewer: Shannon
Tragic Improv says its Secret Subway Show has three elements: the actors, the audience, and regular subway riders. I would argue that the show has four elements: the actors, the audience, the regular subway riders, and the subway riders that I thought were actors. This is a testament to the bravery, commitment, and strong acting work that all the Tragic Improv players bring and the permission they give us to stare unabashedly at our fellow riders.
While all the actors gave a lot of themselves, the performance as a whole lacked structure. If the audience is willing to bring themselves to a meeting location and hop on the subway for an hour, then give them something to grasp onto. Give us some beautiful details. We see eccentric characters on the subway all the time, but we don't get to be witness to a great story every day.
Epione's Secret Subway Show, Take 3
Reviewer: Bobby
What made Epione’s show so riveting were the unsuspecting
subway riders. Each performer spent up to a month perfecting and
understanding their character, but there could be no life in these characters
without the real life interaction with ordinary, everyday New Yorkers. The
perfectly performed characters blended in so well with the subway surroundings
that the train riders began reacting with genuine New York flare. I
personally couldn’t separate the actors from the real life New Yorkers.
Every rider’s idiosyncrasies and abnormal mannerisms came to life when eyes
rolled, uncomfortable riders left and strangers revealed a genuine compassion for the performers.
The setup had two performances taking place on opposite sides of the train; therefore, every rider was involved in one way or another. Usually, when one performance seemed to be over the top or exuberantly vocal, the other was quite subtle and unassuming so as to not distract any of the riders or give away the secret that a show was taking place. If anyone was able to tear themselves away from one side or if a rider happened to be sitting in the middle of the train, they would have eventually figured out they were amidst a show or thought they had just stepped on to the craziest train in New York City.
The Secret Subway Show is a sociological treat for those who
know they are involved in perfectly planned and studied improvisation. I highly
recommend giving oneself the opportunity to study the quirkiness of New York
while being entertained by a brave, well-rehearsed group of actors. Plus,
you know you are in the audience, so it’s kind of like being in on the big
secret, and who doesn’t love a good secret?
Out Takes:
"Watching the honest reactions of the unsuspecting passengers who happened to be seated on this crazy train was my favorite thing of all." -Jason, Reviewer
"Anything can happen. I had my second situation where a subway passenger was like in my scene. That big guy was asking me to leave the girl alone... That meant it was believable." -Darnell, Performer
"My character got let go from a graphics firm today and has to go home and tell his wife. He's just ranting, probably for the first time in his life." -Brendan, Performer
"My character was the caretaker of an autistic man and I really had a new appreciation for the kind of energy it takes to do that. It was enlightening." -Cathy, Performer
Epione is Helen Abell, Gil Browdy, Darnell Holguin, Alexa Kryzaniwsky, Thomas Poarch, Kelly Reeves, Cathy Simpson, Andrew Uhlenhopp, Brendan Wahlers, and Chriss Williams. Directed by John Montague. http://www.tragicimprov.com/
Edited By: Corinna Sherman
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