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Regional Reviews: Philadelphia Odd Man Out Also see Rebecca's reviews of The Butterfingers Angel, Mary Poppins and Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto
Our narrator for Odd Man Out is Alberto, a jazz musician flying home to Buenos Aires, Argentina, after many years of living and working in New York City. During the long flight Alberto befriends a pair of fellow passengers and ends up sharing his fascinating life story. Alberto is completely blind and the audience experiences the flight and various scenes from his youth in an increasingly unstable Argentina in absolute darkness. It is a moving story, and experiencing it in the blackout that Alberto has known all his life heightens our sense of empathy and gives the audience a unique connection to the actors on stage. The production is co-directed by playwright Martín Bondone, Facundo Bogarin, and Carlos Armesto. Bristol Riverside Theatre's small venue Rehearsal Studio has been completely transformed for this extraordinary event. The lobby has been re-imagined as an airport lounge, and a state-of-the-art 360-degree binaural audio system has been installed in the theater. Seamlessly delivered smells, tactile objects, and water and wind effects elevate the entire experience. Odd Man Out was first developed in Buenos Aires by Teatro Ciego, a company of blind and low-vision artists with a unique approach to making theater in complete darkness. The show was translated into English and further developed by Theatre C, a New York City-based immersive theater company. That experience and refinement are evident in this well-executed production. The cast of international artists include sighted, blind, and low vision performers from Peru, Argentina, and Costa Rica. I highly recommend getting on this flight before it, and these incredible artists, take off. Odd Man Out runs through December 18, 2022, at Bristol Riverside Theatre, Rehearsal Studio, 201 Cedar Street, Bristol PA. Performances will be presented in both Spanish and English depending on the performance date and time. For information and tickets, please visit www.brtstage.org or call 215-785-0100. Cast: |
