The Reception
About the show
HERE presents a new work that turns the audience into voyeurs at a lively social gathering. Popular music, fizzy drinks, and friendly chatter hit the marks of a playful party, but something’s not quite right. More…
Bit by bit, 'The Reception' depicts an uncanny cracking at the seams, as the revelers contend with an increasingly unanchored world. Created and performed by New York dance-world luminaries that span the decades, 'The Reception' delves into the dark underbelly of how we socialize and entertain.
"It is all achieved with subtle grace by the performers, an evocative aural ambiance by Brandon Wolcott and Tyler Kieffer (including bits of classical music, cool jazz, some period pop tunes, a sea chantey and haunting sound effects) and a superb technical team that makes all the dramatic transformations memorable. This one deserves to be seen again, for a longer run." Full Review
"It’s less like a play and less like a dance but more like a Squat Theater performance that impresses and overwhelms you...I wish the parties I attended were so fun...'The Reception' is a performance for anyone who has ever wanted to video tape their party, study the elements, and understand it in greater detail. But that’s too much nonsense, go see this performance, it’s a much better evening." Full Review
"This is one party you are not going to want to miss. Donovan & Calderón invite audiences to a rather surreal gathering in the exhilaratingly funny and utterly bizarre dance-theater piece...Tension and anxiety wax and wane, stimulated by a sly little take on a horror movie trope...The social-gathering aspects of the show are beautifully precise even with improvisation, expertly detailing the interaction among the bash attendees, from movement to language to facial gesture." Full Review
See it if you're into the downtown performance arts scene. I'm not and was confused. But it was still engrossing to watch.
Don't see it if you want a clear linear story
See it if You like comedic, performative surrealism which probes at big questions without answering them. You like cocktail parties and/or boats.
Don't see it if You want theater to be rational and realistic. You want to merely watch a play, not have an experience with it.
Also This is some of the most delightful theater performance I have seen. I... Read more Read less
Cast & Creatives (17)
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