The Grand Paradise NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (73)
See it if you like Sleep No More or Then She Fell
Don't see it if you have to be in control of your own experience and need to have linear plot
See it if you seek "immersive theatre" with an original storyline. It's not very complex, but a clever, fun exploration of sex & the art of seduction.
Don't see it if you're a passive audience member or you seek deep meaning. More orderly than Sleep No More, slower than Then She Fell & flimsier than both.
See it if You love immersive theatre, & you've already done Sleep No More. It's a really interesting and different experience, w/ some really beauty.
Don't see it if You hate immersive theatre. Also, at 2h and $110/ticket, GP isn't as much "bang for your buck" as Sleep No More. But it's still cool!
See it if you love immersive theater, you have a particular fondness for the analog and 70's kitsch, you love Third Rail Projects.
Don't see it if you're timid about interacting with actors; you're uncomfortable with seeing a lot of sensuality, you don't love long dance sequences. Read more
See it if you like these kinds of things. This wasn't my favorite, but getting to essentially see a show no one else does is really cool.
Don't see it if this is not your kind of show or you can't walk around for a long time.
See it if you want a less intense intro to immersive theatre than Sleep No More
Don't see it if you are uncomfortable interacting with the cast and audience; you dislike sand; you need linear plot and control of your experience
See it if you loved Then She Fell and don't mind there's no well-known story to follow. To enjoy, be patient (slow start), have a drink, & relax
Don't see it if you want value-for-money; this intimate show is pricey and has no real plot But we had fun, came out smiling & talking about our experiences
See it if You are 1 of 60 "guests" at a tropical resort in the 70's. The "play" is the experience and WTF interaction with the actors in various rooms
Don't see it if No real plot. Tons of interpretive dance and philosophical monologues. Need to be willing to explore & tolerate being touched/fed liquids
Critic Reviews (24)
"Exploring notions of desire, trust, and the search for happiness, 'The Grand Paradise' is an elaborate, ambitious piece of three-dimensional dance theatre...'The Grand Paradise' focuses much more on philosophy than plot. It is common for this genre to sacrifice narrative in favor of feeling and atmosphere...'The Grand Paradise' shines when it shows off what Third Rail does best: dance. The choreography is a superb blend of poetic movement and disco at its grooviest."
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"The performers are gorgeously genuine in these intimate interactions. It’s all hushed voices and soft gestures, but the connections feel real. The audience is lightly guided from room to room with some flirtatious touches and the timed opening and closing of doors...Throughout the whole show there was explosive movement and dance tying each moment together."
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"The problem here is one that haunts certain original musicals. Without the familiar characters — without the brilliant madness and psychological armature of Carroll's life and work — the universe created in 'The Grand Paradise' rings hollow. This show's halcyon era, barely forty years behind us, yields less wonder, and fewer exquisite artifacts, than the group's Victorian-set prior project...It's no better than it should be, and no worse."
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"Unlike other entrancing theater experiences, 'The Grand Paradise' is dance-based with an intentionally ambiguous plot, and offers more intimate and frequent one-on-one scenes with the actors. It's a welcome respite from this month's bitter cold, and another jewel in this new style of theater's crown. The show time seemed to fly by, and, as with most getaways, even after the final act was over, I didn't want my time in paradise to ever end. "
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"I really enjoyed the show, and surprisingly loved being curated into certain scenes, until I was taken out of the storyline I was interested in and sent into one I had zero say in...Minus this little issue I had, and it’s just a personal thing not to say the show wasn’t incredible because it was, I love the piece and can’t wait to return. This really is something special and with time I know it is going to be amazing...Go see this show!"
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"I was very much impressed at 'The Grand Paradise' being set in the '70s and not feeling like some sort of 'Brady Bunch' nostalgia trip. Everything felt lived in, but recently, and not a pastiche...Should you see 'The Grand Paradise?' Very much yes. Go, and go with an open mind, and a readiness to engage and explore and flirt. If your night was anything like mine, it will be a highly rewarding and transformative experience."
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"An absolutely excellent show…It’s really fun. Interspersed are moments of profundity, loss, grief, and contemplation. The predominant mode in the show is fun, exploration, release, and reconnection…I don’t think it’s necessarily the most impressively choreographed work I’ve ever seen, on the level of the individual dances at least…What really is impressive, though, is the overall event choreography."
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"More intimate for the viewer than anything else I’ve seen to date. The emotional impact of such intimate encounters cannot be overstated...Every moment, every touch, every story shared is deliberate and leaves you with something to meditate on...I would also be remiss in not noting the superb work by all performers...Overall, my trip was welcoming, seductive and enlightening. 'The Grand Paradise' is sexy, wistful and boisterous and I can’t wait to check in again."
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