Los Angeles Times: Last summer I had a chance to strike a deal with the devil.
I sat, contemplating my choice — what I could live without to acquire the one thing I most desired. This was no arbitrary crossroads. Over the past 40 or so minutes I had confessed long-held goals and romantic yearnings while revealing details of my most intimate relationships. They were now being weighed against me. All, I was told, could be mine, minus what I would sacrifice. The contract would be binding, necessitating a drop of blood.
7 comments:
This was a fascinating show to read about. To be completely honest, the setup reminded me a lot of a scenario dominatrix Eva Oh talks about in the “Crazy Sex Parties” episode of her podcast? From the fact that it originally emerged from something Trapman-O’Brien designed for a private client’s Halloween party to the incorporation of the blindfold, it’s hard to not see comparisons to a certain other kind of immersive experience. Nevertheless—it’s so interesting to think about a performance with an audience of just one, and which involves that one person, as a performance at all. In framing it seems more like a fortune telling session, or even psychotherapy. The fact that the participant is blindfolded is also intriguing within the context of performance, given that the vast majority of theatre and performance art in general has visual elements. Yet another fascinating way in which Undersigned subverts the notion of performance: in an interview Trapman-O’Brien did with “No Proscenium,” he says his recommendation for approaching the experience is to literally build an alibi of what you did with your day, like going to a cute cafe nearby or something, and then coming to Undersigned instead. I think that’s so fascinating, especially since performance is usually something we discuss with other people.
This was one of the coolest ideas I have ever read. Learning about what goes on within 'Undersigned' was really interesting, and left me really wanting to experience this show for myself. The idea that this man basically turned talk therapy into a horror/self help show is really creative. I find it very funny that this was started from a commission that Trapman-O'Brien didn't even want to do, but that when he explored the idea a little more he created a performance like no other. I find it very impressive that Trapman-O'Brien is skilled enough in both making emotional connections and improvising to pull this off as well as he does. I'm really curious what things would come up for me if I experienced this show, and would absolutely pay the $100 price tag for it.
This was a super interesting article to read. At first, I was confused when it said that you were the only audience member in attendance at the performance. But once I understood the concept, I was fascinated by the idea and struggle that is created by the piece. I would love to participate in this show at some point to understand how it works and the state of turmoil that is created by the presented decision. Reading about the conflict that was created by the author makes me wonder how I would respond in such a situation. If I was given the choice, I don’t think I would be able to be selfless and refuse a deal with the devil. Yet, there are some things that I wouldn’t give up for anything, so having these feelings called into question would be interesting to experience. I also think it would be cool to be on the other side and watch someone reckon with the decision and compare to all the other people that you have seen go through the same situation.
Immersive theater on steroids. A psychological thriller for an audience of one. In this production the blindfolded audience member of one is asked to confess their deepest desires, money, love, relationships, sex, power, nothing is off the table unless specifically asked. At the end of the show the audience member is asked to write what they’d sacrifice to get what they want. While theatrical in nature this experience is deeply rooted in reality, calling into question the bounds of immersive theater. Does this heightened experience allow us to reconcile with deeper parts of ourselves we wouldn’t be able to otherwise? The vibe of this piece calls to mind traditional Catholic confessionals, trapped in a box, obscuring the visuals of the person you’re talking to. As cool as this experience is, I'm curious how many audience members they were actually able to get. Would you pay one hundred dollars to contemplate your desires?
I think Undersigned is a really cool take on immersive and participatory theatre! In recent decades, immersive theatre has definitely made a move towards the mainstream. Natasha & Pierre sat audiences onstage with the performers. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee included audience members as participants in the show. As we interact more with virtual reality and AI, we’ve grown a lot more curious about the role of the viewer in a show. However, Undersigned takes this to a new level by catering each performance to a single person each night. Yannick Trapman O’Brien leads the person through the piece and asks them what in their lives they would be willing to sacrifice to the devil to achieve their wildest dreams. Over the course of the 90-minute experience, he questions them on all aspects of their lives before presenting them with a choice, like exchanging joy for family or financial success for love. If the person accepts, they prick their finger and sign their name in O’Brien’s book (spooky!) One-on-one theatre is a really interesting way to reach someone personally in a way a packed theater may not. I’m excited to see what Trapman-O’Brien does next!
Wow, this entire concept of Undersigned is absolutely wild—and honestly, it’s the kind of experience I didn’t know I needed until reading about it. The idea of being the only person in the audience, having this deeply personal and almost eerie one-on-one with Yannick Trapman-O’Brien, sounds like it’s equal parts thrilling and unnerving. It’s not every day you’re put in a position where your dreams and desires are laid bare, and then you’re asked to truly weigh them. The whole blindfolded aspect really hits me—it’s such a clever way to strip away distractions and force you to look inward. There’s no room to fake it when you can’t rely on visual cues or the typical “social niceties.” You’re just there, raw and vulnerable, having a verbal tug-of-war with your own ambitions and weaknesses. It’s not about cheesy horror theatrics; it’s about examining what you’re willing to give up to get what you want. That’s some deep, existential stuff.But the part that really stuck with me is the bit about people accepting less than they deserve. Like, why do we negotiate ourselves down when we’re told we can have it all?
To be completely honest this show sounds terrifying. It feels as though you were thrown into the game of clue but the setting was your own consciousness. But the one thing that stood out to me in the article was the revelation that this production felt “true”. Many main stage productions take place in a world unlike our own in one way or another. That can sometimes force the audience to escape from their problems rather than confront and address them. Undersigned forces the singular viewer to look back at themselves rather than away and it creates a connection almost unheard of in a Broadway production. To add to the idea of connection the show is performed out of an escape room, forcing the viewer into an enclosed space spiking adrenaline and heightening connection. Overall I thought this show was really interesting due to the little interest in profit and the unheard of levels of “true” connection between the audience and performer.
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