Billed as “an experimental theater piece in regards to the finish of an experimental theater,” this opening evening present within the 19^th annual Underneath the Radar competition turned out to be, because the title promised, an “Open Mic Night time” — however not, because the title implies, a voluntary one; this isn’t a present for theatergoers who’re spotlight-averse.

It started with Julia Mounsey sitting in entrance of a laptop computer and a microphone telling us about Life World, the unlawful efficiency area in Gowanus, Brooklyn she ran for 2 years with Peter Mills Weiss and others till it shut down final September  – unlawful as a result of the constructing was on a block that was not zoned for leisure.  

A couple of minutes into her description, whereas making enjoyable of how Weiss used to aim a stand-up routine that was actually simply “crowd work,” Weiss himself walked by with a ladder and elaborately arrange a highlight. Then he walked to a microphone on the middle of the highlight – and activates the brilliant houselights, washing out the highlight. This obtained amusing. He tells us how anxious he’s, then begins what gave the impression to be a stand-up routine, one thing about bowling with numerous sauces. After a second, he mentioned “We’ll have to hurry issues up a bit bit”…adopted by a protracted silence. 

For the following 45 minutes or so – by far the majority of the present — Weiss did standup as crowd work, asking questions of the viewers as an entire – “applaud in the event you got here right here by prepare….by bus….by automobile.” – and of every particular person within the theater. I don’t suppose he missed anyone. Generally he requested a multiple-choice query – “beer or wine,” “life or loss of life.” Generally he needed an essay, asking somebody to face earlier than the microphone to reward their theater companion. Generally the questions have been intentionally intrusive – which can be why Mounsey would sometimes use the laptop computer to make buzzing or beeping noises.

“Elevate your hand in the event you make greater than $10,000 a 12 months,” he started one routine. “Maintain your hand up in the event you make greater than $20,000.” He continued at $10,000 increments all the way in which as much as $200,000, when he turned to the one remaining gentleman along with his hand up, and mentioned “Would you contemplate supporting us…” This obtained amusing, however Weiss was critical; the person was led to the Q-code the place he might pay along with his smartphone (These codes have been used a short while afterward when Mounsey and Weiss introduced a cooler of soda cans to promote.)

For the final 5 minutes or so, they handed out picture albums of a number of the exhibits that had been carried out at Life World (“greater than a thousand unlawful performances,” Mounsey had advised us), and Weiss mumbled out a monologue of reminiscences: “I keep in mind being within the crimson…I keep in mind the room…It was a spot that sensed its goal,” he mentioned a number of instances.

It was arduous to sense the aim of “Open Mic Night time,” which, like different Mounsey/Weiss exhibits I’ve seen, appears to be each a spoof of one thing and the factor itself; form of humorous, however principally bizarre. If nothing else, the efficiency is proof – an assertion? – that an experimental theater could die, however one thing calling itself experimental theater lives on. (Which I suppose makes it acceptable to launch this 12 months’s back-from-the-dead Underneath the Radar competition.)

Open Mic Night time is at Efficiency House New York (150 1st Ave., Manhattan, 4th ground) by way of January 18. Working time is about an hour.