Pirating, as evidenced by centuries of tales and one of many best theme park rides, has lengthy fascinated. Seafaring and sword combating suggest journey. Cube video games? Bluffing and technique. And if you happen to’re actually fortunate, possibly you’ll discover a mermaid.
Viewers members seen throughout a manufacturing of “Pirates Wanted,” an interactive manufacturing from Final Name Theatre.
(Gabriella Angotti-Jones/The Los Angeles Instances)
Final Name Theatre, an area interactive-focused efficiency group, has discovered a approach to give us a style of buccaneering — with out the pesky penalties of being captured by the Royal Navy or succumbing to a rum-induced liver illness.
For another weekend in Lengthy Seaside, theatergoers can dwell out a mini marauding fantasy on an precise ship at “Pirates Wanted,” a limited-run revival of the troupe’s 2024 present. It’s theater, nevertheless it’s additionally a choose-your-own-adventure-style sport, one with branching narratives, a number of endings and even life classes.
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The present is ready on board the American Delight tall ship docked at Lengthy Seaside’s Pine Avenue Pier, a 130-foot schooner that right this moment is primarily used as an education-focused vessel. Stand nonetheless and really feel the lean and lengthy boat gently rock on the waves. However you’ll not often be stationary on the wood-heavy craft. With a forged of 14 and an viewers capability of 55, “Pirates Wanted” explores the total high deck of the ship, which is accessible through a small transportable stairway.
Captain Souvanna (Bonnie-Lynn Montaño) and Captain Draken (Shelby Ryan Lee) share a second throughout immersive theater manufacturing “Pirates Wanted.”
In moments, we’re free to wander and hyperlink up with numerous crew members for our pirating classes. The so-called “treasures of the seas” aren’t going to be pillaged with out our assist, and I quickly discover myself improvising sea shanties and fascinating in a sport of liar’s cube. I stumble over relearning the right way to assemble a knot — necessary, I’m advised, in case I’m tossed overboard and must shortly lasso myself to a raft — however have higher luck mimicking a determine 8 with my sword. We now have duties to finish — or video games to play, relatively — that are in the end an excuse for dialog.
Ask a roaming bard concerning the earlier ship’s destiny and a number of tales begin to unravel and reveal themselves — amorous affairs, hidden secrets and techniques, misplaced maps and the requisite discontentment among the many ship’s preserve. What would a pirate narrative be with out speak, for example, of mutiny?
Oats Weetle (Mads Durbin) climbs a mast throughout a dramatic scene in “Pirates Wanted.”
“Pirates Wanted” is closely energetic, and one gained’t uncover the entire present’s narrative paths. Wander, for example, to a compartment on the ship’s bow, and you might hear conspiratorial whispers. Grasp within the aft, and there is likely to be speak of a siren on board. I noticed others with treasure maps, and solely caught murmurs of the romantic cleaning soap operas unfolding among the many crew. Love letters had been misplaced and recovered, and at one level I used to be pulled apart, a pirate whispering to me to ask if there was a bootleg affair on board between a member of the crew and the British Navy.
Viewers members soak up “Pirates Wanted.”
Like all of Final Name’s exhibits, there are a number of methods to look at — or play. One can decide to be a comparatively passive observer making an attempt to overhear conversations and uncover the assorted storylines. Nevertheless it’s suggested to lean in, to hop from character to character armed with questions and the willingness to go on assigned quests. Right here, the latter rely closely on gossip. Early on I used to be tasked, for example, with asking the assorted pirates about their emotions over dropping their final ship, solely I used to be advised to not use the phrase “feel” in my line of questioning (in spite of everything, one should trick a pirate into vulnerability).
All through, “Pirates Wanted” explores the right way to navigate difficult household drama and romantic relationships when worth programs — you already know, looting and pillaging versus not — don’t align. There are metaphors if you happen to go in search of them, particularly on having to dwell a lot of 1’s life within the closet, however “Pirates Wanted” locations a heavy emphasis on silliness too.
Final Name during the last three years has established itself as one of many extra prolific firms on town’s immersive theater scene, recurrently internet hosting two or three exhibits per yr. The troupe has already introduced a winter time touring manufacturing, “The Butterfly Effect,” set to debut Nov. 8 at Stella Espresso close to Beverly Hills. “Pirates Wanted” final yr turned considered one of Final Name’s finest reviewed productions.
All through “Pirates Wanted” viewers members will likely be tasked with quests, generally looking for hidden objects.
“It definitely was our most critically and financially successful show we put on,” says Ashley Busenlener, Final Name’s government director. “Who doesn’t like pirates on an actual ship?”
“Pirates Wanted” leans campy, a imaginative and prescient of the life-style extra knowledgeable by Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean than any historic fiction. It additionally tackles subject material not typically seen in pirate tales, resembling emotions of being misunderstood and the wrestle to be one’s true self.
“One of the things that I often notice about pirate media is a lot of the time you see pirates and the majority of time they are white men,” Busenlener says. “That’s not who I think I pirates are. We were very intentional … in creating a cast that we felt represented what piracy should be.”
In flip, lots of the actors are feminine, queer and hail from numerous backgrounds. The aim, says Busenlener, was to indicate that anybody could be a pirate.
“Pirates are the people who were outside of society,” Busenlener says. “They were breaking rules and laws and taking power into their own hands. That’s something we wanted to reflect.”
There are a number of story tracks in a single “Pirates Wanted.” In a single, captain Souvanna (Bonnie-Lynn Montaño) might face a mutiny.
And it’s represented in one of many present’s most affecting narrative branches, one during which a half-mermaid spent their life presenting solely as human out of concern. It’s intimate drama laced with mysticism, an grownup theme in the end dealt with with a touch of levity for this family-friendly present.
It additionally will get to the center of Final Name’s formidable with “Pirates Wanted.” Come for the swashbuckling — and the prospect to be taught some sword-fighting strikes — however keep for the emotional journey. Simply don’t be stunned if you happen to go away the pier all of a sudden speaking in a faux British accent.
Tall ship the American Delight in Lengthy Seaside, residence for another weekend to immersive theater present “Pirates Wanted.”
