Remnant
About the show
Theater Mitu’s new interdisciplinary piece interjects interviews with found text, technology, and image in its exploration of the subject of war. It asks: what should we fight for and why? More…
Over the past three years, in an attempt to understand this exact question, Theater Mitu has gathered hours of interviews with a range of communities worldwide: current and past members of military forces; citizens who have been directly affected by war; people diagnosed with terminal illness and their families; doctors, nurses, police, spiritual leaders, scholars, teachers, mental health professionals, and artists. As they touch upon, come to the edge of, and often confront death, each interview becomes a portrait of what is left behind — a remnant.
"The company has done something incredible. Each artist brings different skills, experiences, and craft to the piece; they've come together in a way that is at different times cinematic, deeply theatrical, and striking to the senses...This piece is beautiful and emotional; I felt desperation, despair, guilt, terror, and wonder. For the parts of all of us that have experienced loss, this is an affirming meditation. I highly recommend seeing it!" Full Review
“War, time and death are hauntingly explored in the eerie high-tech performance piece ‘Remnant’...The audience wears headsets as they experience the show while watching the action...Polendo’s swift staging richly realizes each individual chapter with resonance. Polendo coordinates the piece’s high caliber technical elements and engaging performances into a production that totally stimulates the senses and the mind...The cast is always fascinating.” Full Review
"With poetical delicacy that doesn’t cloud the pain of grief and loss, 'Remnant' reminds us of the fragility of mental and physical bodies...Headphones not only allow for three parts of the show to unfold simultaneously, but also create an intimate form of communication...The architecture of this theatrical experience is flawlessly executed in both writing and production, with just the right degree of detachment allowing you to connect to the fragmented and distilled stories." Full Review
"Only part documentary theater. It is also equal parts art installation, performance art, and technology-as-poetry...The show is inventive enough to feel like an adventure...At best revolves around some big themes rather than focusing on a specific subject, but often feels random. The use of the headphones and the distancing effect of the actors performing inside the dark boxes, are arguably at odds with some of the very aspects of live theater that have allowed it to endure." Full Review
“Perhaps ‘Remnant’ tries to tackle too much. Considering its philosophical aspirations, this work should be thought-provoking. Instead, the sheer sensory overload of its multidisciplinary approach to some degree becomes self-defeating, as one is bound to come away appreciating the ceaselessly inventive stagecraft more than meditating on the themes it presents...’Remnant’ is the kind of admirably overreaching failure that is willing to risk disaster for the sake of testing theatrical boundaries." Full Review
See it if you enjoy non-linear work that makes you sit up and engage with it. you enjoy non-traditional seating/performance styles
Don't see it if you require a firm narrative thread, you dislike ambiguity in experience and theme, you don't enjoy experimental work.
Also Brilliantly integrated. A holistic experience. Mitu's new space is mag... Read more Read less
See it if You want to see a company truly push the form of interdisciplinary theatre & design, sound & mixed media, all while tackling truth.
Don't see it if You prefer the "conventionally created" form of theatre.
Also Theater Mitu has created an incredible theatre experience with REMNANT... Read more Read less
See it if you want to see truly innovative performance strategies. If you want for once to go to a play where the average audience age is not AARP.
Don't see it if You need traditional theater mechanics.
See it if The subject matter of hurt and loss is something you are willing to dwell on, when you like shows that go beneath the surface.
Don't see it if you need a well-made play to be able to relate to complicated subjects.
See it if you like innovative theater that plays with the boundaries of the form.
Don't see it if you do not like theater pieces that mix media or juxtapose a lot of small fragments.
Also In its handsome new space Theater Mitu has mounted a handsome producti... Read more Read less
See it if you are open to new, multimedia theater with fragmented sets, actors and stories touched off by "remnant" memories collected. Interesting+.
Don't see it if you do not want to be exposed to verbal and visual blasts on the themes of war, death and time or if you want a linear production.
See it if You enjoy ensemble based theatre that utilizes Multi-media, non traditional staging and unconventional storytelling.
Don't see it if You prefer more conventional theatre that doesn’t attempt to tackle grand issues/concepts. Or you don’t like having to move during the show.
See it if You enjoy form-defying theatre mixed with performance art touching on life, death, and war.
Don't see it if You want something easy to digest. You dislike experimental performance. You crave narrative.
See it if you want to support a worthy company in large new digs. The ensemble-created work is wide-ranging & accomplished yet not all that impactful.
Don't see it if you want plot, 3 dimensional characters, dialogue or if you don’t want to listen to a show via headphones.
See it if non-linear, experimental, multimedia, explorations of death make you happy. Remarkable combination of quotations, singing, dancing etc.
Don't see it if you expect a play. No characters, no plot, not even permanent seating. Audience moves between 3 banks of seats at 30 minute intervals.
See it if You are interested in different modes of theatrical presentation. You like shows with a lot of vague and confusing emotion.
Don't see it if You're interested in seeing a story with a clear plot.
See it if interested in different kinds of theatre, especially if you like multimedia. There are interesting thoughts on death. Some funny moments.
Don't see it if You want a complete story arc that fully ties together, you hate projections, you hate wearing headphones.
See it if You would like to experience a new theater space (and for me, walking distance) in Gowanus.
Don't see it if You are expecting what is promised. You get lots of technology, and some technique, lots of artistic folk yielding unmoving empty images.
See it if You want to see something that doesn't really feel like theater, or if you want to feel particularly "artsy" and "hip".
Don't see it if You're looking for a diverse cast or if you don't want to get out of your seat multiple times or you actually want to see theater.
Also I marked this show as thought-provoking because it made me question "w... Read more Read less
See it if You want inventive, original theater. This was pretty awe inspiring
Don't see it if Tbh I don’t know. I always love Mitu’s stuff
See it if You want to see something indescribable. Unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. I can’t get over it. So beautiful.
Don't see it if You only like conventional theater. In this you’ll move around to different sections and watch the show with headphones
See it if You are interested in avante-garde work that is heavily mediated by technology.
Don't see it if You want to have a shared experience with the rest of the audience or are easily distracted.
Cast & Creatives (2)
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