Unmaking Toulouse-Lautrec

See it if You love immersive theater experiences and/or love the Moulin Rouge aesthetic. Small, but interesting show.

Don't see it if You prefer proscenium-style shows.

See it if you’d enjoy an hour’s entertainment in a milieu evocative of a Parisian fin-de-siècle nightclub.

Don't see it if you are looking for deep insight into art-making in general or, in particular, how Toulouse-Lautrec translated milieu into enduring images.

Also The ambience for “Unmaking Toulouse-Lautrec”—a small upper room in a nightclub done almost entirely in red plush—is close to perfect. Audience members filter in as the players are warming up, in semi-undress, using available railings as ballet barres. Do not be surprised if they enter your space: It’s theirs too. I found this delightful because the players fit the setting so well, friendly but professional, suggesting how the artist’s fin-de-siècle Parisian milieu drew from the worlds of classical dance, circus, music hall & prostitution. The piece itself when it starts is thoroughly enjoyable, with the 6 players taking on the roles of the artist, his parents & luminaries from the club with which he is most associated, Moulin Rouge. Though the cabaret numbers & personal vignettes charm, we never get much insight into how the artist transformed life experience into enduring art. But the hour never flags: It offers several memorable stage pictures & performances—& oh, the atmosphere!... Read more Read less

See it if you have an interest in Toulouse-Lautrec and his work. The performers are attractive and clearly interested in sharing a good time.

Don't see it if you are expecting a serious biographic play. The facts are there but sandwiched between cancan and other amusements.

See it if You’re up for an enjoyable and imaginative site-specific evening of song, dance and biography, well done by a fun and attractive ensemble.

Don't see it if Expecting a theatre or straight narrative; you enter a Belle Epoque red light bordello, grab a drink and are immersed in the action.

Also The atmosphere’s immediate: corseted soubrettes in fishnets greet you at the door, stretch, mill about and interact until the funeral procession that begins the show.

Begun as an educational performance for the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, this is a well thought-out production that uses and makes the most of the limitations of a difficult space, using imagination and visual ingenuity to create some striking images.

The cast is game and all in—through risqué period songs, an exuberant can-can and, in the background, two of the dancers in what must be the subtlest, sexiest kiss currently onstage anywhere in NY.

Go with an open mind; have a drink, take the entertainment for what it is, catch some of the cast's fun and joy, and learn a little about Toulouse-Lautrec along the way—you could, and have done, worse.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy immersive shows in which the setting (a smoky bar here) is almost as important as the action. If you like stylized, quirky shows.

Don't see it if You require a comfortable seat; many were stools. If you like a linear, clear plot this is not your show. But it did keep my interest.

See it if You are around the area and are in the mood.

Don't see it if You have a better or another plan.

Also It is a great effort to see this immersive shows. The actors give all from themselves. The setting is a decadent bar in Houston Street, at least the location matches the story. Is good that this productions exist. There is always rooms for improvement. They need one on one performances, more interaction, better lighting, better music and songs, more sets and more mystery.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see attractive people dance and pose in period costumes while learning about an important painter. Enjoy low humor

Don't see it if you want any roleplaying in your immersive theater or a large degree of interaction with actors, want a strong plot.

Also The rating reflects that this is basically exactly what it advertises "a sexy art history lesson". Its basically fun and slightly naughty without being, by modern standards risqué. The actors chat a bit before and do a few bits with a few costumers but not too much and once things start its basically a play you sit in watch in an intimate setting. As with most immersive I think the visuals and the costumes are more key to it than the plot, but you do learn a bit and care slightly for Henri. Its an enjoyable evening but not much more.... Read more Read less

See it if you love immersive theater, la Belle Epoque, and game performers.

Don't see it if you want a straight up biography, plot, 3 dimensional characters.

See it if you want to spend a night watching sexy dancers in moulin rouge attire in a red-lit bar space. It's a show that loves showmanship.

Don't see it if you're looking for story or much characterization. Things don't develop as much as evoke feelings.

See it if you are interested in a quirky biography of Toulouse-Lautrec as presented unconventionally in an unusual space

Don't see it if if you want a linear narrative or complete historical accuracy. This is movement-theater.

See it if You like Toulouse-Lautrec and Moulin Rouge and learning/seeing some history in an intimate setting with cocktails

Don't see it if You don’t like immersive theatre in a cocktail lounge. The audience sits in the lounge and actors move throughout. You don’t like sexy fun.

See it if you want a small, low-budget Moulin Rouge-esque show inside a atmospheric bar; interested in the painter

Don't see it if you'll be annoyed by the hip hop music wafting up from downstairs; need a rich story and plot

See it if You enjoy immersive theater and stories about historical people. This is an entertaining staging by a young, ambitious, energetic ensemble.

Don't see it if If you don't like intimate, immersive theater and like to take chances seeing work by a new and young ensemble.

See it if If you want to see attractive actors in an intimate space. The space was nice, and the costumes. The actors are good.

Don't see it if If you're looking for a plot or for immersive theater. There was no interaction, and not enough about the artist.

See it if You are in the mood for a quirky, all over the place, story about Lautrec’s life told in a really fun space.

Don't see it if You will be offended by terrible French accents, want a traditional narrative of H. De T. Lautrec’s life.

See it if You like immersive shows and you don't mind that they are probably still working on it. Fun! Clever staging.

Don't see it if You don't like dark rooms, nonlinear plots, or Can Can dancing.

See it if You like non linear performances that incorporate dance, acting and singing. You like interesting salon spaces.

Don't see it if You do not have the patience to experience uneven acting and singing as the performance level overall is not quite professional.

Also The event requires the viewer to "connect the dots" regarding the artist's life story as it is not quite clear what is happening plot wise moment to moment. Impressive use of the space and great sound and lighting for what they have to work with. Also great costuming.... Read more Read less

See it if You want a unique night out. You are interested in learning more about the artist.

Don't see it if You want something solid and refined.

See it if you are interested in Toulouse-Lautrec or anything French. It is light yet dark and a little bawdy. Can-can dancing is always delightful.

Don't see it if off-color humor offends you, or you hate nearly inter-active theater. Actors are very close almost among the audience.

See it if You love theatre that merges traditional forms with modern ideas and shows that are non-linear and experimental.

Don't see it if You want a cut-and-dry biography of the protagonist. The play isn't that and doesn't want to be. It delights in the weird moments.

See it if You want to be transported to Paris for an evening, or if you enjoy stories about artists and what makes them unique.

Don't see it if You like having separate stage and audience areas. The show takes place in the middle of the audience.

See it if you like to try a new concept of making theatre and you want to support originality.

Don't see it if you expect to see a traditional show with a linear story.

See it if You like all things Toulouse-Lautrec, and enjoy small semi-interactive shows in a small bar setting.

Don't see it if You think that an actor holding a donation bucket for the theater company at the only door to exit is a bit intimidating.

Also The show is done well with their small resources, and it was nice seeing it from way up close in the bar setting, but the story wasn't too clear in which characters were which (excepting Toulouse-Lautrec).... Read more Read less

See it if You like immersive theater, French art history, and don’t mind if actors don’t have a good French accent or that the story feels cliched.

Don't see it if You are a purist, don’t like immersive theater, want to see serious acting, are not into comedies, and do not lie musicals.

See it if you love original emersive theater. Funny, touching performances. Unique, original theater to really connect to.

Don't see it if You want the same old touristy shows. This is an only in NYC kind of production.