Do Not Applaud

A fictional review about a made-up performance featuring a made-up musical piece. Meta critique of a critique  — please, do not applaud.

A short theater play co-written with Mick Peters. The narration technique was inspired by the embedded narrative format of the 'House of Leaves' novel.

Layers of critique build up, balancing between parody and kitsch, immersing the viewer in a commentary madness. A dissatisfied reviewer points out every detail of the ongoing performance, including the behavior of the actual audience seated behind him.

Everything goes wrong; the audience — both staged actors and the real audience watching the performance — have no reason to be pleased or entertained. An LED sign lowered above the stage serves as the ultimate and literal message to the audience.

Is the applause in the art world inevitable?

Performed by:

Musicians: Julian Loof, Niko Schroeder, Max Mekkes. 
Actors: Nadia Sotirova Abadjieva, Stefanos Constantinides, Jakub Cerulík, Basia Jagiełło, Gerd Dunbar.

Music written by Mick Peters.