EXPERIMENT #39 (The Institute for Psychogeographic Adventure): Fringe review 22

Old City’s rich historical neighborhood becomes your path–and moreover, the stage—for the Institute for Psychogeographic Adventure’s (IPA) new performance EXPERIMENT #39. Those who dread audience participation should beware of the IPA’s work—this quixotic, immersive walking tour into the urban ether requires that you play along. On your personalized journey, friendly strangers lead you through memories, as well as your ties to the city of Philadelphia. The IPA creates a unique, ineffable experience which subverts emotional reactions to places and how we perceive urban environments.

Experiment #39After you arrive at their office, you are asked to complete a survey and submit to an interview with a lab-coated IPA representative. That is how this Brooklyn-based collective of interdisciplinary artists shape your individual adventure. You feel like a lab rat in a maze—embrace it. Along the path, mysterious and strange figures lead you to unexpected locales. The IPA has succeeded in creating an ergodic and cathartic theatrical experience with EXPERIMENT #39. While it’s unfortunate they only played one weekend, audiences would welcome the IPA back to Philadelphia for next year’s festival with open arms. September 6-7, 2014, http://fringearts.com/event/experiment-39-3-2014-09-07/.

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