The Hinterlands
CSPS Hall – October 25-26 at 8 p.m. ($15+)
The Hinterlands ensemble are bringing their Detroit-based vaudevillian act, dubbed The Circuit, to CSPS Hall this Friday and Saturday. Their new show takes the classic notion of vaudevillian performance art and examines it through a distinctly 21st century lens, fusing contemporary “internet age” subculture with vintage theatrical style.
According to The Hinterlands, The Circuit features (take a deep breath) b-boys, voguers, transcendentalists, ravers, riot grrrls, yippies, juggalos, and conspiracy theorists. These characters all coalesce into a high-energy stage show that is, at first, a little jarring, but fascinating all the same — captivating, in fact.
There’s a certain “what’ll happen next?” element to The Circuit, a tribute to its smart use of controlled chaos and head-spinning twists on traditional theatre tropes. The stage performers seem vulnerable as a result, and the effect is a sort of dramatic tension (and, at times, vague discomfort) that hangs over the room. It’s a rare, addictive sensation. One almost hungers for it, and The Hinterlands pull it off incredibly well.
Included in the billing are a number of Detroit-based performance artists including Hardcore Detroit’s Haleem “Stringz” Rasul, PuppetArt’s Torri Lynn Frances, and Jon Brumit. Check out Legion Arts’ event page for additional show and ticket information, and be sure to check out the video preview below.
