New Earth Bandits 2 is the newest production from SNAFU, an alternative theatre group that focuses on unconventional expressions of theatre instead of the expected sit-down format. This approach creates a more immersive experience, often with interactive elements, and seems to be mostly based around an improv format.
The immediate vibe I got from the experience reminded me of the ’60s and ’70s flower-child culture, where creative expression is emphasized in a rather childlike manner, prioritizing an off-the-cuff arts-and-crafts aesthetic over more conventional production values. Accordingly, the outcome was largely “cute,” and evaluated with the same concessions you would give a first-grader’s school play, leaning more toward silliness rather than achieving excellence in a craft.
There were a couple of exceptions to this. One actor in clown makeup presented a spoken-word poem with surprising gravitas that had tones of serious self-reflection. Also impressive were a couple of the costumes which clearly took dozens of hours to create, particularly one that represented a towering wooden forest deity with large hands puppeted by individual actors, which appeared impressive and lifelike, and another costume representing a large eagle.
Thematically, the viewer is in for a light-hearted absurdist expression of a vague concept. Indeed, if I hadn’t known that the prompt was “What will the world be like in 5,000 years,” I would not have been able to divine it from the performances, which did not seem to carry any consistent plot elements or through-lines that tied the narrative theme together. Whether the characters are dancing forest elves, mildly acrobatic sharks, or comical crabs, there was nothing really post-apocalyptic about it.
A large issue for me was the lack of consideration toward people with mobility impairments. The audience is expected to walk and stand for two hours, over hills and stairs, and on gravel trails that are not conducive to easy wheelchair operation. I walk with great difficulty using crutches, and over the evening I walked 6,000 steps, and was absolutely ruined for the next two days. A more explicit warning should have been implemented.
Despite these difficulties, it’s clear that this was a show created by people who love performing and creating. I think the phrase “youthful exuberance” is very fitting, as most of the performers are in their 20s, and they really tap into a boundlessly energetic sense of optimism that can be lost in the tedium of adult life. A sense of fun, joy, and excitement pervades the whole experience, and perhaps that’s just what you’re looking for after a long day.
It’s impressive that SNAFU, through creative staging, has turned Macaulay Point Park into a whimsical amusement park of fanciful imagination, where the performers are constantly intermingling with the audience and improvising with them, while fully staying in character. However, the performances were random and unscheduled, and there is a likelihood that any audience member will arrive at a location in the middle of a performance, or between performances, and feel like they missed out on what they paid to see, and at $20-30 apiece, that can be frustrating.
Despite its design flaws, I respect that SNAFU is willing to create an experience that is unlike anything most people are likely to see. I think we need people who are willing to break the rules in the name of creative expression, and New Earth Bandits 2 certainly achieves this.