New York Neo-Futurists

A hectic hour of planned improvised choreographed mania mixed with glimpses of insight and human connection in urban isolation. Comedy most, speed always, and a much Brownian motion.
The atomic clock drives the 'reactions' and new ones spark precisely at every 2 minutes until the fuel runs out.
Thirty 'plays' are played. They range from physical comedy, brief drama, and most compelling, to me, brief resonant glimpses into experiences that evaporate in 1:59m but left me with a sense of greater potential again and again. Compelling emotional echoes erased in an etch-a-sketch, shake and gone and now we careening elsewhere. Take a breath and get on.

It can be jarring to jump to 'insanity' next-- imagine a performer's skill to shift on a dime's edge among 30 pieces at an unpredicted order the audience commands. Bit astonishing. And some, some comedy that is crackpot funny.

Loved it. Will see it again.
Stop at the KGB bar above for a pre drink show

Oh my god. I LOVE love love TMLMTBGB. So much that my friend and I organize a ~monthly pilgrimage to see the show. We usually bring a group of anywhere from 5 to 15 people. And when they sell out they order PIZZA for the audience!!

These guys are hilarious. And ridiculously creative. I don't know how they come up with so many awesome plays. I love the randomness of everything - your ticket, the order of the plays, how many plays they keep week to week.

Best part.. I heard about this from a This American Life episode. They were so inspired by the Neo-Futurists that they did their own version: 20 acts in 60 minutes. Thank you, Ira Glass!

I'm going to be realistic here. When I left Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind, all I could think was "wow, that was something else". Initially, I did not know if this was a positively or negatively charged thought. I had no idea what to think or feel...which I suppose is part of the point. My opinion in a nutshell: this is just something else.

Where to start? Well, the motto here is: "If you've seen the play once, YOU'VE SEEN THE PLAY ONCE!". By this I mean that every show is different. Like, literally every show. Which is pretty damn impressive. Say what you will about the writing, but the fact that they're constantly creating new material is not to be ignored. The only constant is the format (at the most basic sense) - 30 plays in 60 minutes. So, while I'll give them props for constantly creating new material, they're really just coming up with 30 ideas and elaborating on each of them for two minutes each. So unless you're incredibly adept at analyzing super experimental and chaotic theater, I'd say it's near impossible to find a common thread. Other than the fact that each "play" touches on/responds to issues/themes that currently face humankind (with an emphasis on millennials).

AUDIENCE WARNING: You may be invited to participate. As you walk into the theater, they'll ask for your name - upon hearing it, they come up with a new name for you (mine was "Unabashed"), write it on a name tag, and that's your name for the hour. My row happened to be picked on a fair amount during the show, the highlight being that my friend was asked to write the number of the next "play" that she wanted to see on the female actor's, er, chest region.

I won't say much else about the viewing experience - you should go and form your own opinions. What I will say, from a more removed perspective, is that these "plays" really run the gamut in terms of subject material. A lot of it is humorous (or performed in a comedic way), but there are definitely some more somber moments. Obviously each audience member will have his or her own experience here, but I'm going to posit that not all of this is meant to make you laugh. So my advice would be to stay present and observe your reactions to what you're seeing. And the nice thing is, if you don't like one of the "plays", it will be over in two minutes.

Additional details:
-KGB Bar is located in the same building as the theater. I won't bluntly say that debauchery is encouraged, but you certainly will not be dissuaded from generously letting the spirits flow pre-show
-If you wait to buy tickets at the theater instead of buying them online in advance, you'll receive a plastic "serviceman" to hold onto until they let people in. It's cheaper to do it this way, but I'm not sure if it guarantees you entry (purchasing tix online does give you that guarantee). So your choice. In any case, you're invited to hang out upstairs at KGB or right outside until they open the doors, at which point they'll make a very loud announcement instructing you to get in line.
-FREE ENTRY DURING YOUR BIRTHDAY MONTH. I'M BORN IN OCTOBER SO I DID NOT HAVE TO PAY A SINGLE PENNY. WIN. If you happen to go during the other 11 months of the year, entry is $13 + the roll of a six-sided die.

Last May, I was introduced to Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind by one of my best friends. Since May, I've been back to the show every month and my love for the uniqueness of this show just keeps growing.

The NY Neo-Futurists bring a lot of energy and charisma to the stage with their 30 short skits that they try to perform in 60 minutes. Sometimes they get through all their 30 and sometimes they don't.

There skits are sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes touching, and sometimes don't make any sense (but that it itself brings some joy).

When I first went back in May, I realized that this was was a theater experience like no other. There is nothing taboo on their stage so this show definitely isn't for the easily offended.

But I definitely recommend checking it out at least once just to experience something so original.

Intimate space - every seat is a good seat and relatively comfortable. The actors work hard and deliver a very entertaining show. Each skit differs from the next, sometimes vastly, from pure comedy to pure tragedy and everything in between.

Too Much LIght Makes the Baby Go Blind is a multi layered emotional roller coaster and perfect for any level theater goer - from beginner to seasoned, all will enjoy this unique experience!!

This show changed my perceptions about how art can be made and exist in the world. It taught me that everyone is an artists and that there is an infinite amount of ways to tap into ones creativity.

The New York Theater scene is one of the most eclectic of the world, and yet most people when they visit want to spend a long time in the TKTS line, or a near fortune for second-row Mezzanine at Phantom. Now I am not saying that isn't a great night on the town, but if your looking for the spirit of New York from regular joes who live it, see this show.

Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind is a thrill ride. It creates an intimate setting due to to the small size of the theater but because of the content as well. You invest so much of yourself into their show because they invest just as much to you. The show is completely non-illusionary, meaning they hide nothing from you. All of their stories, crafted into 30 shorts plays meticulously fired out in 60 minutes, are based on their lives and the world they live in, the same world you the audience member live in. And because they are the working class hero's of theater, they know stuff is expensive these days, and therefore this show is not. So for a night of theater that will educate, entertain, definitely make you laugh and most certainly make you cry, see this show.

This is the best show in New York. If you are going to see a show, this is the show to see. This is the perspective of someone who loves the theatre, loves theatre, loves New York theatre, sees a lot of it and knows a good thing when she sees it.

If you've seen it once, as they say, you've only seen it once.

The NY Neo-Futurists are an incredibly dynamic ensemble that create amazing works of theatre art: which are alternately funny, moving, thought-provoking, strange and darling. I love these artists, their truths, and how they tell their stories.

I think all of the stories are excellent, but as a cranky friend points out: if you're waiting for the show to be over, you can use the time productively by scanning your menu and picking out what show you'd like to see next! EVERYBODY WINS!

Seriously. What are you waiting for? I'll see you there.

Three cheers for Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. I was a huge fan of the Chicago version for the past few years, and was delighted to find that they work here too.

As others say, the show is unpredictable and you can't ever know exactly what to expect, though you can always expect to be really entertained. The short plays range from absurd to abstract to political to heart wrenching to thought provoking. With 30 plays in 60 minutes, the Neo Futurists are able to touch on a lot of topics and elicit a huge range of emotions. Sometimes the plays are a little hit and miss, but the overall show is so quirky and fun that you'll be smiling for a long time afterwards, looking over your menu and reminiscing about the fantastic hour you just spent.

One of my favorite shows in the city. Always new and exciting, and the audience gets into it.

The venue is intimate, which is perfect for the type of show that they put on.