The Flatiron Hex

See it if Puppeteer with amazing repetoire of techniques draws us into a dystopian future NYC. Weird original characters, many hilarious moments.

Don't see it if You don't enjoy strange alternate universes, magic, blood and goo.

See it if you appreciate skill, imagination and fun. Remarkable character puppets in a creative dystopian future. Sit close to appreciate the details.

Don't see it if you dislike puppets or intimate performance venues.

See it if Social action take on storytelling, sci fi, puppetry, shamans in a constant battle against evil + ChristopherWalken + NYORG + ritualTech r U

Don't see it if attention to small detail & intimate storytelling, lots of blood & guts, plus a healthy sense of the ridiculous are not in your wheelhouse

See it if you like a wide variety of puppets, the humor on Adult Swim, and picking up on the world-building details of a complicated plot as you go

Don't see it if a wacky, hardboiled, magical scifi adventure in dytopian New York doesn’t interest to you; you dislike the small scale of puppet theater

Also The plot has a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy sort of complexity and humor. The puppets have a gritty, Tim Burtonesque aesthetic (mostly marionette, shadow, and rod puppets; not the fuzzy Jim Henson kind). Like a dramatization of an underground comic book. Bizarre, supernatural occurrences that wouldn’t normally be staged are fair game here. The jokes can get a little crass at times but that doesn’t overshadow how creative the show is. A multidisciplinary labor of love by the creator, James Godwin.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a performance using all sorts of puppetry to convey a sci-fi graphic novel to no avail.

Don't see it if solo performance and puppets are not your thing. Very unimaginative.

See it if You enjoy creative puppetry. Your sense of humors straddles surreal and sophomoric. You lean into the weird.

Don't see it if You dislike the gumshoe/detective/Dick Tracy genre. You avoid shows that seem to thinnly veil the creator’s fetishes.

See it if You are intrigued by multimedia performance art combining sci-fi, film noir, puppetry and comic sarcasm in a dystopian tale of a future NYC.

Don't see it if Nothing I described above interests you. But I am glad I gave this a chance and was entertained by it.

See it if you like gritty (neo)noir; Shadowrun-esque cyberpunk; and Space Eldritch scifi-fantasy-horror. Yes, really, all these. Oh, and puppetry.

Don't see it if A one-man show with fantastical characters, fake blood, surreal worlds, and very little narrative logic puts you off. Very idiosyncratic.

Also A wonderfully weird show, that at times had me rapt and at others merely baffled. Though the puppeteer, Godwin, is himself a character, his character (and all the others) also exists as puppets. Most interesting and beautiful is the use of shadow projections to act out scenes, all of which are voiced by Godwin. Traditional puppetry exists alongside robotic creations of Godwin's own design.

The noir narration is wonderful, and the book is solid, but the macguffins and overly convenient narrative plot twists come so fast and furiously that they almost serve as a parody of plot. In a fantastical world where seemingly no rules hold, anything goes, and that saps the narrative power of the show.

However, to Godwin's credit, the stakes, no matter how contrived or preposterous, always feel real. We care for the characters and their urgency is conveyed in strange but powerful ways. If you want to furiously root for a shaman using bone dragon to stop a superstorm AND corrupt politicians...... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy a wide range of puppetry, all created and operated by the talented and funny James Godwin. Dystopian noir, NYC style.

Don't see it if you want a dramatic, impactful tale or cute, furry animal puppets.

See it if you do not mind a silly story line to showcase a promising voice talent /actor & puppeteer. There is a variety of puppetry/effects to amuse.

Don't see it if you don't dig childish humor for adults, amateurish puppet staging, & fake blood. It would be more impressive if it featured ventriloquism

See it if you love puppets! This uses several kinds well (marionette, table top, shadow...). U like quirky cross-genre shows (noir/sci-fi/nerd comedy)

Don't see it if you don't like puppets or quirkiness. A few jokes will land better w/New Yorkers.

See it if you're interested in any kind of science fiction theater

Don't see it if Although this show was creative and memorable it didn't really pop and its flavor of strangeness would not appeal to everyone

See it if you're interested in the artistry - great use of puppetry, electronics, projections, etc.

Don't see it if you don't like gratuitous blood or sex or if you are looking for a classical noir story.

Also I was very impressed with the staging and use of multiple mediums. Several of the puppets were very cool and some of the more simple tech still created beautiful stage moments. HOWEVER I found the story incredibly boring and a little confusing. It just didn't do anything for me and even the impressive artistry couldn't save it.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see some amazing puppets that are part of a silly storyline that's too busy

Don't see it if Puppets and crazy storylines aren't your thing

See it if You enjoy creative one man shows with a tongue in cheek vibe

Don't see it if If you're not into avant garde

See it if you love a complex and rich plot that makes the audience work for it, like film noir/detectives, surrealism, absurdism, sci-fi, one-man show

Don't see it if you don't want to think

Also This was great!! A rich plot with beautiful puppetry. Each character was so memorable and distinct. It was slightly disorienting confusing at points, so I think the show could use some development to improve those few elements, but overall a huge success. I can imagine even bigger miniature set pieces - perhaps the city of Nyorg itself? Throw your money at James Godwin!... Read more Read less

See it if you like old New York jokes, sci-fi humor, film noir style, comic book style, puppetry and inventive staging.

Don't see it if you devalue the efforts of a one man show with puppets, you don't like using your imagination and/or like jokes about New York City.

See it if Blew my mind! Just incredible what this one person can do.

Don't see it if You need to have a lot of action. This is an intense, fun, quirky ride!