#txtzero

DC-based Brian Feldman is introducing his award-winning immersive theater piece “#txtzero,” reimagined in streaming mode at the KC Fringe.

This is, without question, the most unusual and demanding entry in this year’s Fringe. It should attract viewers who are interested in the history of mime, philosophical provocations in the art world, and how streaming and “virtual reality’ are adapting in the immersive performance space.

In this 42-minute piece, Feldman plays an actor, or is the actor, waiting for a script which never arrives. He sits at a table with a smartphone and a cup of coffee. All is black and white, without nuance.

A viewer has a lot of time to think during this performance. I was reminded of the outcry surrounding John Cage’s “4’33;”” and Marcel Marceau as “Bip,” and his belief in the “art of silence;” Penn and Teller and their provocative use of storytelling and mime in magic and sleight-of-hand; and the developing areas of holograms and virtual reality in gaming and immersive art.

Feldman himself suggests “skipping” when the viewer gets bored. That in itself can be revealing for the participant.

For Fringers who want to experience the edgier side of Fringe, #txtzero is not to be missed.