The Neo-Futurists

A visit to neo futurists is an excellent STAYcation. Creative imaginative fun fun fun.

The Neo-Futurists are perhaps best known for their iconic work Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, a show in which an 8-person ensemble attempts to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes. The Futurists debut a brand new version of Too Much Light each week. Their own version of experimental theatre, with Too Much Light at its heart, have garnered the Neo-Futurists world renown recognition as an integral part of moving the art form forward. The company also offers classes and workshops on writing and performance.

This theatre company houses the longest running improv show in Chicago and has gained its reputation for having consistently talented people and reasonably priced shows. I have not seen much theatre in Chicago save for school trips but I highly recommend coming here to see a unique, fun, and inspiring performance. The audience that is with you will largely affect the atmosphere of the show, so don't be afraid to go with a group of friends and get rambunctious (the actors will appreciate it!). Overall, an experience that I would say is a must in the city.

I almost don't know how to feel about my visit to the Neo-Futurists Theater to see Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. Largely, it was weird. I loved the pricing scheme: $9 + d6. Some of the plays (they do 30 in 60 minutes - or try to) were overly artsy, some just weren't interesting, others were wacky, and a few were hilarious. Overall I enjoyed myself but again, I don't really know how to feel about it.

The Neo-Futurists have an interesting setup. They charge you a base price plus an add on determined by dice that you roll. Inside the cramped theater, the cast puts on a semi-improv show decided by audience picks from a set of scenes. One of them was "order everyone pizza". Most are pointless, some are ideas that should have never left the writers' table, and some are merely acting exercises. A few were amusing.When I've been there, the cast hasn't been great. If you're into experimental theater put on by enthusiastic but undeveloped talent, you might like it. I found it like watching other people's kids play little league.