A Model of the Industry — reflections on ‘The Manikins’ (THE NOPRO REVIEW)

Another look at the London show that has immersive superfans talking

A Model of the Industry — reflections on ‘The Manikins’ (THE NOPRO REVIEW)
Photo by Deadweight Theatre

Something special has hit town. Special enough that we at NoPro want to take a beat to point at it to say “This you really need to see.” And if you’re a one-on-one chaser, this is your big fish.

The Manikins is eerily insinuating itself into the immersive landscape like an earworm, the topic popping up in knowing circles who, when chatting with as-yet-uninitiated, refuse to say any more than a repeated encouragement to go experience it. And while I won’t be sharing significant spoilers, this is your last warning to take us at our word, close this article, and go see it blind — the way I did.


Am I dreaming? Or is this real?

How do I wake up if it’s not?

Do I even want to?

Manifesting influences of television’s Hannibal and Severance, the themes of separation from reality and deviating loops are the foundation upon which The Manikins stands. You attend, but is it you who experiences?

Performed for an audience of one, at first glance the set design is disarmingly small; suitable for its self-appointed moniker of “a work in progress”. And while the production makes excellent dramatic use of the occasional blindfold & ASMR-inducing earphones, it is creator/actor Jack Aldisert’s curated practice of physical and eye contact throughout which is one of the critical tentpoles of the show, the sustained nature of the personal attention which sets The Manikins apart.

The current fashion of the industry is to grant glancing and cursory importance to the audience — give us a “character” to play that’s occasionally referenced, but not long loitered on so as not to force the burden of character background and subsequently the dreaded actual acting on participants. Involvement, yes, but typically it’s in favor of driving a frenetic wider narrative. After all, we audience are there to dive into and splash around in a world built for us, aren’t we?

But The Manikins lingers, weaving a world using us. There is a script, but it uses its audience as its spine, often skewing full-meta. As I listen to the words I casually threw out in conversation, my personal trivia and home facts, all interknit into the encroaching net around me I sense what might be coming.

And I am terrified.

Don’t be fooled: this is not a work in progress. It will feel like one — to a point — because that’s what they will want you to feel. Until they don’t. This is very much a polished work with volumes of playtested research informing it. While the £100 price tag may feel daunting, rest assured that this is money well spent on a 100% immersive experience for the entirety of the 90 minutes; no flashy foodie or ‘grammable extras hung on like sidecars to boost the feel of value-for-money.

In point of fact it’s inspiring to experience such an impactful show built by such a small group on an exceedingly minimal budget; it spurs me to want to get devising again. It’s the sort of piece which could be destined to become (if Deadweight so chooses) the darling of the festival circuit, so easily does it appear to pack up and deliver. While the current run at CRYPT is coming to a close, the show is swiftly transferring to another London locale.

Long may it run.

The Manikins: A Work In Progress from Deadweight Theatre is wrapping its first run this weekend in London. Tickets are £100–115.


For more: see NoPro’s Thomas Jancis’ review.


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