Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – INTRALIA, THE WEIRD PARK: InVersion Theatre’s sinister interactive audio-walk of Prospect Park lives up to its title

• By drediman
• October 5, 2020
• No Comments

Prospect Park, the setting of “Intralia, the weird park”, InVersion Theatre’s interactive audio-walk.

Yesterday, on a pretty glorious pre-fall afternoon, I went on a trek through Prospect Park. This was no ordinary walk, as I was guided by Intralia, the weird park, InVersion Theatre’s audio play designed specifically for the sprawling Brooklyn park (which I had never frequented prior to yesterday’s visit). I’ve been a big fan of the recent, pandemic-friendly trend to use audio and GPS technology to literally realize Shakespeare’s notion that “all the world’s a stage” (a harbinger for immersive theater, if there ever was one). Intralia uses a hybrid approach, combining the linear route and narrative of Gellsey Bell’s Cairns, while utilizing the location-tracking technology of Geoff Sobelle’s Hear Their There Here and Ellen Reid’s Soundwalk to allow listeners to explore and proceed with the journey at their own pace (you can read my thoughts on Cairns and Hear Their There Here here, and Soundwalk here).

The descriptor “weird” in the work’s title is accurate. As written by Rebecca LeVine and directed by William Steinberger, Intralia is indeed a strange bird. By juxtaposing unsettling environmental happenings with a backdrop of ritualistic animal killings (!), the creators sought to conjure an increasingly menacing, vaguely conspiratorial alternate reality. Although there are characters in the piece – effectively voiced by Marisa Brau-Reyes and Zoe Richards, who play a pair of Prospect Park municipal workers – Intralia strikes me as less of a conventional play as it does a moody tone poem. Taken as such, it soulfully comments on the fragility of nature (especially today) and insidiously suggests of creepy mysteries just beyond our grasp. Even if in final assessment I wasn’t quite fully satisfied with the 45-minute experience, Intralia nevertheless serves as an ingenious gateway to further individual, open-ended exploration of Prospect Park.

Of standout note is the work of composer Jordan Hall, whose original music and sound design are key elements in establishing the transporting quality of Intralia. Alternately calming and tense, his score/soundscape significantly enhances the disorienting reality of the work’s world. Indeed, Mr. Hall’s contribution supports my view that sonic textures are hugely important – and often times overlooked – aspects in the creation of immersive theatrical experiences. Although Intralia was available for free download (with the option for donation, of course) via the Apple app store or by visiting InVersion Theatre’s website, yesterday unfortunately marked the last day to access the piece. I’m happy that I was able to catch it; the uniquely sinister, if uneven experience made for a fascinating pre-Halloween treat.

RECOMMENDED

INTRALIA, THE WEIRD PARK
Immersive Theater / Audio Play
InVersion Theatre
Approximately 45 minutes
Through October 4