The Theatre Times: An empty room. A large table. 12 iPads, 12 note pads, and 12 name desk holders that designate “Juror” along with a number. That is the simple setting for The Justice Syndicate, a new piece by fanSHEN. This interactive play revolves around a jury deliberation on a high-profile sexual assault case. And while it is not the first attempt to have an audience decide the fate of a court case—there is Ferdinand von Schirach’s Terror, which features a similar premise, and played at the Lyric in 2017—fanSHEN’s production arises as an exceptional instance of interactive theatre that is pushing the dramaturgy of the genre to higher standards.
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In immersive theater often times there are predetermined actors helping guide the audience along, but perhaps the most interesting thing to me about 'The Justice Syndicate' is how it really is a random audience creating the piece of theater. Most of the deep research and work has been done before hand so that when the 12 "jurors" come in the show just starts. I also like how they have a post-show talk. I think that, especially with the content material, and the role of the jurors, it's important not only to de-brief about the content but also talk about why that specific performance went down the way it did. Theater should help us reflect on ourselves and our society, and an immersive experience like that helps us do that almost subconsciously and naturally. I also like how the show resembles grown up play time. It won't succeed unless every member contributes as a character, and lets the story take them over. I also applaud how fanSHEN is keeping the audience motivated throughout the performance, because let's be honest, who really does jury duty for fun. I think that they've come up with some very creative solutions to many problems.
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