Pool Play 2.0
About the show
This is Not a Theater Company presents a revised version of its 2014 site-specific performance piece, which takes place entirely in an actual swimming pool. More…
With new text and scenes for 2017, 'Pool Play 2.0' invites audiences to sit at the edge of the pool with their feet in the water to enjoy synchronized swimming, a race or two, penguins, songs, and an exploration of America's long, joyful, and complicated relationship with water, swimming, and pools.
"Feels less like a play and more like a performance art piece. Don't let that scare or deter you. I know performance art can get a bad rap with some, but 'Pool Play 2.0' is even more successful than the original in creating a sense of community...With heartfelt scenes, songs, dances, and moments of pure joy, the audience shares a communal moment of pathos that is refreshing in this crazy world...It's a spirited break from reality that is smart, refreshing, and extremely well done." Full Review
"'Pool Play 2.0’ hits a lot of points—racism, consumerism, environmentalism, the loss of childhood fearlessness—but it hits them well. Its episodic nature lends the feeling that all of life could be captured in this 70-minute play…And, like all of the work I’ve previously seen from this company, it does all of this while delivering consistently remarkable entertainment and brilliantly timed comedy. ‘Pool Play 2.0’ might just be their best work yet.” Full Review
"The uniqueness of 'Pool Play 2.0' does not end with its nontraditional performance space. The play's text, its staging, and the committed actors collaborate to provide a fun yet thought-provoking treatment of something nearly everyone has experienced: a day at the pool...Though Mee and Bear’s text is supremely engaging, 'Pool Play 2.0' also excels in its performance elements...A treasure trove of off-off-Broadway creativity. It is not to be missed." Full Review
“An evening that is by turns daffy, thought-provoking, and splashing good fun…Mee extracts absolutely giddy, exuberant performances out of all of her actors. This is particularly true with Trinity Bobo...She is a veritable one-woman Busby Berkeley number as she swims in between vignettes to epically bombastic classical music…Each of these tantalizing interludes could be expanded into a satisfying theatrical experience in and of itself.” Full Review
“A buoyant daydream of a show…Sound is the problem I’d most love to see solved...Whether the actors are poolside or in the water, meaning and humor tend to slip away...Bear’s text is often elegantly written, but it’s too dense for the setting. So Mr. Mee’s contemplative monologues are something of a relief…Like any site-specific piece, 'Pool Play 2.0' is partly about exploring the possibilities of a space. This one is hugely challenging, but when it works, unusually rewarding.” Full Review
See it if you like comedies
Don't see it if you don't like comedies
See it if you're open to some enjoyable pool side vignettes, buoyantly thought provoking , while splashing your feet, forgetting the chill outside..
Don't see it if can't stand water or the sight of a pool, not entertained with short scenes that make you think. Want only a play with a full story.
See it if ..you like being in the pool or if you enjoy theatre in unconventional venues.
Don't see it if ..you don't like the smell of chlorine. The acoustic in the swimming pool makes it hard to hear every single word but don't panic, it's OK
See it if you enjoy creative, out of the box, and quirky theatre that delves into some deep themes.
Don't see it if you want to be able to hear the actors clearly. Also, building a modern show around a pool is no easy task...
See it if You're really into the site specific.
Don't see it if You are looking for something that does more with the space than have actors spout downtown cliches in a reverb-y room and splash.
Cast & Creatives (11)
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