HBO Home Entertainment - Big Little Lies - Cole Rosner and Play Collaborative Arts Venue - Immersive Theater

Explore the Allure of a Secret in HBO’s Big Little Lies Inspired Experience

Below is a review of an immersive experience hosted by HBO Home Entertainment and created by Cole Rosner of Play Collaborative Arts to celebrate the Blu-Ray release of the HBO limited series, Big Little Lies. 

 

 

“The homes within the boundaries of this HOA are some of the finest in the country; and out there in the crowd are some of the finest inhabitants. We know that you’ll all just get along swimmingly. Now remember; don’t judge a book by its cover, don’t take anything for granted, follow your gut instincts, and don’t be shy. I hope you all fall in love with each other tonight—and donate a lot of money in the process.”

 

Bob Huffman, member of the Home Owners Association (HOA) board, stands atop a short brick wall hand in hand with wife Kristine—her golden dress shimmering against the hanging patio lighting. Cheers erupt from the crowd: the affluent residents of New Coast, gathered to celebrate (and donate towards) the HOA Clubhouse Children’s Reading Room and Youth Program. With a modest goal of $800,000 dollars—this should be no trouble for the New Coast Community. It’s just a shame that Bill Rodgers, HOA President, isn’t feeling well and is missing the festivities.

 

 

Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for HBO Home Entertainment

 

A seemingly idyllic town built upon a foundation of lies, conflict, secrets, and betrayals; the community of New Coast is a perfect reflection of the tranquil seaside town from the HBO hit series, Big Little Lies. And what better way to celebrate the Blu-Ray release of Big Little Lies than to create an immersive experience inspired by the limited series. Exploring the themes of the series, we are introduced to a tale of murder and mischief as it explores society’s myth of perfection and the contradictions that exist beneath our idealized façade of marriage, sex, parenting, and friendship.

 

At the start of the evening, the audience enters the historic grounds of The Victorian. Everyone is wearing name-tags so the characters are able to slip naturally into the crowds while we mingle and meet our New Coast neighbors. As the sun sets, a scream pierces the evening air. We are invited into the parlor of The Victorian to explore the various corners of the clubhouse. Notes are scattered throughout the room, some hidden (and some not), that reveal some of the secrets the characters are hiding. Finally, we are split into teams; ours led by the wonderful and amazing Karin (Lena Valentine of C(ovell)), where we act as a fly on the wall to watch the intimate drama unfold. And unfold it does, much like the catty banter, gossip, and drama of a hit HBO series does.

 

 

Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for HBO Home Entertainment

 

“He’s fucking her. But it’s okay because she’s fucking her too. He needs the money and he’ll do anything to get it. She’s the strong woman who’ll stand behind her man through the fire and the flames. They’re in a loveless marriage and haven’t fucked in months. So, she masturbates with the shower-head in the morning—and he’ll masturbate in the same shower that very night. It would be tragic if it wasn’t so god-damn funny.”

 

Played with devilish charm, Pete (Perry Powell) knows exactly how to stir up a rumor. He’s ringleader to a gaggle of gossips and demonstrates how alluring a secret can be. “Bill is in Miami,” he tells a member of our group; but by the end of the game of telephone, we now know “Bill is fucking Tammie.” Tammie (Deanna Noe of Firelight) is new money, using her sexuality to get exactly what she wants. She pulls me aside, intimately describing a dream in which she had a penis—never having felt such passion and desire before. Her alliances are made between her legs as she expertly juggles Bill, Bob, and even the exotic Fabienne. Played by Rachel Rivera, Fabienne sings like an angel and dances like the devil. With an innate curiosity, she is the artistic member of the community, calm and collected, but not without her own dark side. Conversely, Nancy (Kelsey Olson) is eager and earnest, and maybe a bit too nice for this cutthroat community. She desperately tries to be accepted in this crowd, but in doing so, she is manipulated and bullied, especially by Kristine (Brittney Rentschler). Kristine is Bob’s wife and the matriarch of the community. She wears a perfect smile, but is not afraid to take her gloves off to make sure she gets what she wants. Kristine’s step-daughter, Andi (Alex Knell), is the last of the ladies. A naïve nineteen-year-old, she’s the youngest member of the board, new to politics, and looks up to her parents, Bob and Kristine; but there’s an anxious air surrounding her. What secrets is she hiding?

 

As for the men, Bob (Thaddeus Shafer of The Boanthropic) stands as the leader of the community, cool and confident, with the trustworthiness of a father. This quality must be why some of the more troubled woman flock to his full beard and welcoming smile. Lenn (Jim Kane) is the first person we meet, and is the organizer, the coordinator, Mr. Logistics. He doesn’t care if he’s fucked his wife in six months—as long as the same font is used on every street sign in New Coast. Corwin (Gyasi Silas) serves as the co-host, but would rather make a dollar than maintain a friendship. Finally, Jion (Kyle DeSpiegler) rounds out the cast as the meditative, zen husband to Fabienne. Despite his calm attitude, his insecurities keep him seeking the approval of Bob and Lenn.

 

 

Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for HBO Home Entertainment

 

It’s these fantastic actors that drive the narrative and fill the air with mystery and temptation. Each actor is equal parts magnetic and despicable–but that’s exactly why I couldn’t look away. The drama and intrigue are too delicious; the rumors and secrets are too exciting. This experience rests on the shoulders of these powerful characters and proves that a strong acting cast is paramount in a drama-centric piece. Being able to create characters that feel real and natural—and not of a soap opera—is a testament to both the acting in this performance as well as the work of the creator, Cole Rosner and Play Collaborative Arts. Further, the location serves as an important character, offering a cozy library ripe for hiding secrets, a cigar lounge doubling as a smokey rendezvous point, and an expansive ballroom for friends and enemies alike to cozy up on the dance floor. It is in these locations that some of the most interesting moments occur: a stolen glance, a gentle touch, a hidden kiss. Again, I applaud the actors for being able to convey such emotion through non-verbal movements and looks, obscured from spoken dialogue.

 

As a tie in for the HBO series, Big Little Lies, and hosted by HBO Home Entertainment, this performance tackles real issues from the comfort of a fictionalized town. We are given the opportunity to look into the relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbors and how rumors and secrets fuel the conflicts burning beneath the surface. And we found the allure of these secrets to be enticing–as long as we can watch from the outside. While we try to be good people, there is a little piece of each and every one of us that enjoys the voyeurism of watching the cattiness of others—just as long as we aren’t pulled in ourselves. While you can’t watch the love triangle of Tammie, Bob, and Kristine, or the erotic dancing of Fabienne and Jion, or find out exactly what happened to Bill Rodgers, you can solve a different mystery, one set in the world of Big Little Lies.

 

 

Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for HBO Home Entertainment

 

The Big Little Lies Blu-ray and the Big Little Lies: Music From The HBO Limited Series soundtrack are now available for those who want to explore the drama of an affluent sea-side town from the comfort of their own homes.

 

“A lie… well a lie we tell each other every goddamn day. You must first imagine your perceived reality before it can become real. A secret though, a secret is real whether you speak it aloud or not. A secret is still true even if it is just inside of you. But a lie… a lie you must speak into existence.”

About The Author

Taylor Winters
Taylor has loved immersive theater since his first experience at ALONE in 2013. Since then, he has written, produced, & directed immersive theater, consulted for numerous immersive companies, acted in others, and attended even more. He has his PhD in Bioengineering, an MBA in Organization Leadership, and currently works fixing broken hearts.

No Comments

Share your Haunting words...

H A U N T I N G
Contact us : [email protected]
© Haunting 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Immersive Theater Intensity Scale Haunting Glowing A - Immersive Theater - Extreme Haunts - Horror Experiences
Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On InstagramVisit Us On YoutubeCheck Our Feed


Expand your world
Become immersed in the artistic and evocative narratives of Immersive Theater

Check out our sister site:

Immersed Logo - Green
ENTER THE FOG
Generic filters
FILTER YOUR SEARCH
Reviews
Company Hub
Events / Experiences
Haunting.net | [email protected]