THE WORD IS OUT
Odd Man Out Is Black Box Theater
Delivered to Your Home
Theatermania, Zachary Stewart, April 28, 2021
Odd Man Out is the first «box experience» from Pitchblack, a collaboration between New York’s theatreC and Argentina’s Teatro Ciego (which has a history of working with blind artists). This unique invention was born out of necessity: A planned 2020 run of a live stage production capsized in the wake of Covid-19. The creators (writer-director Martín Bondone with co-directors Facundo Bogarín and Carlos Armesto) have cleverly reimagined the play as an at-home event you can enjoy by ordering a box online.
Bondone and his co-directors have crafted a story that is both relatable and specific, powerfully conveyed by top-notch voice acting, especially from the lead performer. Of course, the awesome binaural sound design (a collaboration of Leonardo Lucas Macchione, Carolina Morera, and Nicholas Álvarez) is the star of the show. In addition to making the performers feel real and present, it brings the sounds of a jet engine, a student protest, and a blues concert (wonderful original music by Mirko Mescia) directly into your ears.
Odd Man Out is quality theater delivered directly to you. The «box experience» may have come about as a substitute for live production, but it has the happy result of making the show accessible to more people than a traditional production would have accommodated.
Read the full review HERE.
A TIME FOR REFLECTION:
FOUR THEATRE PLAYS WITH A MESSAGE
La Nacion, November 2019
Produced in collaboration with two Off-Broadway companies, Teatro Ciego’s new piece invites audiences to step into the mind of those who perceive the world differently. The play (whose name comes from the Argentinian expression “sapo de otro pozo”) tells the story of a blind musician whose life takes him from Buenos Aires to New York. A truly enriching experience where the audience experiences the feelings and thoughts of the character in pitch-black darkness.
AN EXPERIENCE BUILT FROM SOUND AND FOR THE SENSES
Clarin, November 2019
In 2002, Grupo Ojcuro, under the leadership of José Menchaca, premieres its pitch-black version of Roberto Artl’s La Isla Desierta, in the Konex Cultural Center of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Gerardo Bentatti and Martín Bondone, founders of the Argentinian Center of Teatro Ciego attended said performance, and in 2008, they started their own venture: the first and only space dedicated to producing and staging theatre performances in the dark. Serving those audiences that are open to experiencing performances outside of the visual, Teatro Ciego opens its doors with a wide range of events every week, from Tuesdays to Sundays.
SEEING WITH THE OTHER SENSES
IN TEATRO CIEGO’S NEW PLAY
Perfil, November 2019
Teatro Ciego’s newest piece follows a boy as he discovers music, learns to play the guitar, travels the world and eventually leads and succeeds with his own band He suffers heartbreak and loss in a country torn with inner conflict. At first glance, ODD MAN OUT may seem like another story told on stage. But there is a key difference: it is told in complete darkness. Alberto, the protagonist, is blind, and the audience experiences his life through the “blind” eyes of his character.
ODD MAN OUT is not just about telling a story, it’s about creating a theatrical experience. And it’s there where the piece truly shines: words, sounds, the music by Mirko Mescia, humor, and the desire to leave a message are essential parts of the project.
AN INCREDIBLE NEW EXPERIENCE FROM TEATRO CIEGO
Cooperativo Limitado, December 2019
The idea of “teatro ciego”, or pitch-black theatre, is built upon a one-of-a-kind concept: to immerse audiences in absolute darkness in order to tell stories without seeing. It’s all about stimulating the other senses (smell, touch, and hearing) while simulating the experience of being blind. Other ways of imagining and understand are awakened inside you, particularly in how to feel and think about a space and the world around you. Because, if you think about it, theatre has always been more than just visuals and spectacle.
