The Confidence Man
Remember those old “choose your own adventure” books? It was the series we all loved to take out of the 3rd grade school library collection where you were given the freedom to determine how the story would unfold. Inspired by Herman Melville’s mid-19th century novel “The Confidence Man” comes a Woodshed Collective production by the same name whose development follows a similar idea as those old favorites. The story is told in a series of intertwining scenes and scenarios performed throughout manhattan’s own historical lighthouse tender, the Lilac.
The audience was given the freedom to explore the ship while exploring the play vignette to vignette in any fashion one desired. If you got lost or needed direction there were four or so distinctly dressed play-guides, per say, who would be able to lead you through a story line coherently. I felt like I was in a whole new world out on the Hudson River, balancing a brooklyn lager in one hand while climbing and running about the ship roaming from one time period to the next and back again. It was a fascinating display and one that posed a very definite question of where and what you place your confidence in. Who is to be trusted? How do you decipher truth from vain?
The production of “The Confidence Man” will be held on the Lilac ship at pier 40 until the end of September. The tickets are free and are going fast.
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