Whales

See it if You like to learn something with your punk rock and drinking games, in this case, a little something about saving the whales.

Don't see it if You don’t like very informal theatre. It’s more fun if you participate but they don’t make you feel self conscious if you don’t.

See it if you would like to spend a pleasant hour with engaging performers among a friendly audience for a piece that looks good & sounds great.

Don't see it if you are allergic to even the least intimidating forms of audience participation.

Also I was happy that drinking games play a smaller part in “Whales” than advance word led me to expect. The visuals, the music, the engagement with the audience, especially for 2 extended stretches that require a few recruited participants, were all more consequential for the show. The principal visual element, several sequences in which shadow puppets enact material about 19th century whaling & the story of Moby Dick in particular, are quite wonderful, the flat puppets delicate & sturdy at once. The occasional intrusion of a silhouetted human performer into this uncanny world can feel funny or ominous. The rock band plays for a lot of the piece & in fact rocks. All 6 performers sing & have little trouble getting most of the audience to sing too. The weak link is the script: it’s fun but thin. I’d love to see Hit the Lights!, a personable, even magnetic, bunch of performers, take its impressive pooled skill set & tackle something a little chewier than “Whales.”... Read more Read less

See it if You want historical fun facts about whaling in a relaxed setting. You enjoy immersive musicals & non-traditional staging.

Don't see it if You prefer a traditional adaptation of Moby Dick. You don't like immersive staging. You don't like audience participation & drinking games.

See it if you appreciate imaginative fun & obscure info. 40 seats allows cast to communicate one to one with audience members. Free tattoo & alcohol

Don't see it if you need a plot, a themed variety show. The audience as the crew of a whaling ship is invited to roll giant dice determining their adventure

See it if Whale hunting facts, and the story behind Moby Dick and playing Audience drinking games. Plus shadow pictures moving on stage

Don't see it if Drinking game, and loud music. Audience participation.

See it if adventure, sea faring punk/shanties, informational gameshow drinking games with giant dice, creatively minimal shadowPuppet theatre thrill u

Don't see it if garage band sound, now at the PIT, audience participation, tattoos, shadow puppets, drinkingGames, slaughter of whales bother you

See it if You want to see something really creative

Don't see it if You get bored easily

See it if you want to learn the history, commercial purposes, and practices of early 19th Century USA whaling and enjoy puppets, punk rock, and beer.

Don't see it if you do not enjoy loud punk rock, audience participation games, drunken audience and cast, uneven abilities of singers, minimal plot, puppets

Also Base guitar player is talented and nice eye candy. Puppetry is cleverly designed and executed. Show would benefit by cutting audience game show portion, adding memorable tunes, and more comfortable audience seating.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to support a young company with a lot of energy & spirit, and you enjoy participative theatre and shadow puppets. Good music, too.

Don't see it if You don't enjoy participative theatre including games, or wouldn't enjoy a long trek to Brooklyn for an hour long show.

Also This theatre company seemed to really put a lot of energy and effort into this production, and I enjoyed the music and the shadow puppets together with the live actors. However, I didn't get much out of the "game" or the other participative parts of the show. I'm not sure that was the best way to tell the story.... Read more Read less

See it if You like informational rock opera with a talented band and multimedia puppetry with audience participation and drinking games

Don't see it if You only like traditional Broadway shows

See it if you looking for a lesson on the whaling industry told in a fun and interesting way. I enjoyed the show, but it's not for everyone.

Don't see it if you are not interested in learning about the whaling industry or moby dick. Some of the songs can also be annoying to some.

Also I enjoyed the uniqueness of the show. I felt the Game show portion with the rolling of the dice could have gone quicker.. I thought the music was awesome, but the songs not as much.
Make sure to go in with a few drinks in, and have a full one during the show to make it more fun.... Read more Read less

See it if You absolutely love everything that Pig Pen does. This is not their best.

Don't see it if With kids. Not that kind of puppet theater.

See it if there are few moments of lovely shadow puppetry; some of the humor works. But mostly the cast tries way too hard & its points are not novel.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy loud music, audience participation & strenuously energetic performances. The show is scattered bits that fail to cohere.

See it if You live in Brooklyn (or visit regularly) - you want a light hearted night out You are in the mood for performance (not theater )

Don't see it if You are looking for theater,or you are traveling from the suburbs or Northern Manhattan

Also Whales is a series of performance pieces and games - the group is very engaging & treat the audience well - there are folk & rock & roll instrumentals to set tone, there is creative light puppetry there is drinking, there is a good time had by all & you learn about the capitalist enterprise of whaling

The venue is a small performance space / bar in a yet to be gentrified corner of Brooklyn - off the M train.

This is fun but not worth a 90 + minute hike in both directions

Great for younger Brooklyn twenty & young thirty somethings... Read more Read less

See it if Fun original show, surprisingly educational.

Don't see it if Looking for polished production. Do not like loud music

See it if you want a fun easy quirky funny evening about whales. Such a clever talented cast who made so much out of so little.

Don't see it if you are looking for a straight drama and don't enjoy snark.

See it if you like to be part of the show You like interaction and education

Don't see it if You don’t like to interact with the players you’re not interested in history of waleing

See it if you want to experience an interactive adaptation of Moby Dick with punk rock and remarkable projection work

Don't see it if you dislike audience interaction, want to experience a straightforward adaptation of the source material, or want a cohesive product.

Also The concepts at the core of this show are brilliant. Mobdy Dick, inventive shadow puppetry and projection work, and punk. But unfortunately these elements are bound together by a string of party games that just don't function the way the company wants them to. Explaining the lay system in the style of a gameshow is clever and unique, but the charm wears out pretty quickly and it ultimately contributes to the show's uneven tone.

The audience wasn't aware that the evening was going to be participatory so as a result most people felt caught off guard.

The shadow puppetry and projections as a whole are truly remarkable. In many places they are downright brilliant. The music is great. But interspersing the punk rock narrative with party games simply doesn't work. Now, the scene in which the size of the whale is explained via rope is fantastic and fits the tone of the narrative perfectly fine. It would be an amazing show if they simply focused on telling a badass story with badass music.... Read more Read less

See it if you're ready to buy in to a production that's part improv, part punk show, part shadow puppets, part moral story, and part drinking game.

Don't see it if you're looking for conventional theater or are uncomfortable with participation.

See it if You want to laugh and learn. Like Ted Talks (aka this seemed more like a history lesson to me with some laughs than a narrative)

Don't see it if You want something that follows the plot of Moby Dick or hate audience participation.

Also I am a history buff so this was right up my alley but I was expecting a bit more of a storyline.... Read more Read less

See it if you'll enjoy an earnest, enthusiastic, & energetic cast recounting the history of whale hunting in a creative & surprisingly fun way.

Don't see it if you need a traditional plot/story (there isn't one). It's interesting vignettes on the theme of whaling, often involving audience volunteers

Also It seems "Hit the Lights!" Theater Co. are musicians without a lot (any?) previous shadow puppetry experience (the puppetry can be a bit rough). Still, if you're a fan of shadow theater (I am) & can overlook a few foibles when it's performed with heart, then no worries, just FYI!... Read more Read less

See it if You want to learn about human treatment of whales or enjoy educational theatre. This is social activism art at its most creative!

Don't see it if You like a larger theatre space and don't particularly care for animal abuse. There's a lot of wonderful audience interaction as well!

See it if you want a fun night out, a chance to drink and watch a show, like sea shanties, want to see a young and versatile cast.

Don't see it if you're looking for depth, high-level musical ability, or an emotionally engaging show.

See it if you like audience participation, drinking games, improv, shadow puppets, whales—or if you want some payback for suffering through Moby Dick.

Don't see it if you think you are going to get an education about whales or seamanship, or you're a theater snob.

See it if Funny. Great music. Giving the audience some background to the whaling industry, putting Moby Dick in context.

Don't see it if If you want a highly polished, lavish show.