Water, Water Everywhere…

After enjoying Exquisite Corpse’s The Enchanted World of René Magritte a few years ago, we were excited to return for their latest production, and we were not disappointed. Although Water doesn’t employ the same fun, surrealist elements as Magritte, I found it more personally engaging, as the actors frequently addressed the audience directly, and on more than one occasion invited someone to perform some small task to contribute to the scene.

The characters were realistic, and although the premise of the future, world-wide water scarcity was a bit contradictory and difficult to believe, the time travel aspect and the character’s intensity at least made the experience entertaining. Meanwhile, the plight of the Coast Guard family was especially dramatic in that “I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes” kind of way. Depending on which path you’re assigned through the story, you might get more or less of either tale: it seemed my group experienced more of the storm chaser and supernatural entity, while the group my partner was in saw more of the family trauma unfolding.

I couldn’t tell you which thread the third group experienced most, but if I had the time, I’d be inclined to return for another performance to find out. Making the visit even more enjoyable is the fact that the crowds have effectively abandoned Governors Island until next summer, leaving it a bit more quiet and relaxing, like in the old days when the park was first opened to the public.