What I liked
IUnreal City made a fascinating and unpredictable fictional landscape of those Hollywood streets I know too well.
What I didn't like
One key question introduced was left unanswered, but i’m also aware that I most likely just didn’t choose the track where it is answered.. Don’t get me wrong, I’m completely satisfied with the track I chose. Also apparently there were some technical hiccups in the preview performances but I feel that here’s where people need to understand that this is what previews are for – to work out the kinks, and with a show as complicated as this, kinks in the beginning are simply going to happen. Sadly the accellerated nature of fringe doesn’t allow for forgiving trial and error, but again, one could argue that’s more proof of the aformentioned ambition of this piece. And for my part, I felt the work rose above it.
My overall impression
If there was an award for the most ambitious production at this year’s fringe, Unreal City would steal the trophy. I think everyone should check it out because I mean damn…they got a cast of like 30 folks out there in the streets of Hollywood busting their asses to create an entire landscape of story! Of course there are different tracks you can take on your hour+ adventure and I regret that so many of those performers I missed… but hey, that’s the nature of the beast. I will say most of the actors I did encounter were fully “immersed” in their roles and admirably committed to world of “the Wasteland.” I also must give a special shout out to the acting work of Carl Weintraub who can also be seen in Best of Inkfest’s A Familiar Audience. Carl’s performance in Unreal City was both electric and personal while making use of all the advantages an immersive format brings to bear: film-like intimacy, theatrical poetry, and interactive activity. I felt involved, moved and enthralled in his character. Of course the coordinating and composition behind such a gorgeous moment can’t be overlooked and thus proper accolades must be given to the Unreal’s creators: Kristen Boule, Tiffany Asta and Allison Sulock. There are a lot of surprises for those willing to step into the Wasteland world for the first time so I will give nothing away, just be prepared that the choices you make as an audience will give you a journey that is unique and rest assured the creators have taken great pains (through technical elements and otherwise) to make that journey feels complete unto itself. It’s a world that I found quite intoxicating and would return to again.
