Exploring an Alien Wunderkammer in ‘H.T. Darling’s Incredible Musaeum’ (The NoPro Review)
How our visit to a wondrous museum beyond space and time quickly goes awry
Our small group of guests gathers at the foot of a cordoned-off staircase, ready to enter the mysterious museum. We’ve been hand-selected to appear tonight: doctors, professors, writers, and other influential people who have been personally invited to view a never-before-seen collection of exotic creatures and dazzling artifacts. These marvelous things have been brought back to Earth from the strange planet of New Galapagos, found in the region of outer space known as the Perisphere. These are the magnificent accomplishments of one bold, brave time-traveling explorer named Hieronymus T. Darling.
And just behind us, there is an authoritative-sounding slideshow running on a loop, featured objects from the intrepid creator on display (including his renowned mustache), and, of course, the museum gift shop where some of these alien curiosities can be had… for a hefty fee. The small but well-curated shop desk is staffed by twins, Bertie (Martha Robichaud) or Birdie (Emily Hall), who work alternating nights.
As I float up the stairs, I find myself overwhelmed by the number of treasures to explore in Musaeum. My fellow patrons and I watch in surprise as so many of these strange animals wiggle and writhe in their display cases all around us. And Dr. Percy Warner (played by an unexpectedly humorous Alex Vernon), H.T. Darling’s right hand man, is there to educate us about the unusual and wonderful treasures we’re seeing.
I am shocked but also transfixed as I gaze deep into the gaping maw of a Fiji mermaid. I am delighted to find bouncing moss balls suspended in vials of water, iridescent beetles encased in rectangles of glass, and the frightening, preserved skeleton of a sea serpent. I am fascinated by the large-eyed alien marionettes in the Overland room which represent the humanoids of New Galapagos. I come into contact with an odd looking tubular being, sticking out from one of the rock walls in the Underland room; undeterred, I find myself face to face with a soft, charcoal-colored appendage whose beady eyes remind me of an sea eel. Meanwhile, a fragile-looking ice picker bird (tenderly controlled by puppeteer Jess Rassp) seems to be plucking its feathers out in the Overland room.
I am most taken aback by a bulbous jellyfish-like thing which undulates slowly as it hangs from a shelf, dripping a mysterious clear liquid. A shiver runs down my spine as its clear tentacles expand and elongate over time. And ‘feed at your own risk,’ reads a sign next to a fuzzy being identified only as a ‘dento magno flora.’ It looks to consist of mostly teeth. I attempt to feed the beast, and it nearly takes off a finger during the ensuing struggle. Then an innocent-looking box of sand suddenly gasps to life, spraying its grains everywhere as if on cue and inciting giggles from bystanders. Later, I quietly avert my gaze from the case containing the remnants of an expedition member who didn’t make it back home in one piece, for only a single eyeball remains.
And throughout the night, the vaunted explorer Darling attempts to charm us into taking his tall tales at face value and perhaps investing in some future expeditions, if possible; I half expected him to be spying at us from behind a corner, while twirling his mustache and grinning. We drink champagne and laugh at his jokes. And both men and women alike banter with the notorious flirt. Rumor has it that Darling is also in the habit of asking for the hand of any woman who has the misfortune of entering his chambers, even those who are already married.
And I shall say: the rumors are true. I even have the pile of letters to prove it.
But in Musaeum, things are exactly never as they seem.
Submersive Productions takes site-specificity to a new level with H.T. Darling’s Incredible Musaeum Presents: The Treasures of New Galapagos, Astonishing Acquisitions from the Perisphere. (And in disclosure, I’ve been friends with two of the creators for years, but had never had the opportunity to experience their work until now.)
Despite the Peale Center’s status as the first structure in the Western Hemisphere built specifically as a museum, it has not actively been used as a museum for many years. The exterior of the building is currently covered in scaffolding as renovations occur, so a casual passerby might even take the space to be closed altogether. So what looks to be decades-old wooden shelves and other purpose-built furniture have all actually been brought in specifically for the production. Many of the impressive antiquities on display during Musaeum are themselves borrowed from a former dime-museum. The level of care and effort in fabricating an authentically “old” museum from scratch is awe-inspiring, especially as more and more equally-detailed rooms become unlocked as the show progresses.
And those magical creatures inhabiting the display cases? Many of the cast of Musaeum also double as puppeteers, bringing to life several of the whimsical non-humanoid Galapagan beings via disembodied arms appearing from secret panels and cubby holes during the show. Like so many theatre attendees, I am not typically a puppet fan. But I’ve never been quite so charmed by a weird finger-eating monster.
Meanwhile, as the audience examines these looted artifacts in the Musaeum, Mr. Darling’s curators gracefully re-enact narrated facts about the planet as part of an odd educational seminar. And like so many historians and scientists of bygone eras, Darling’s curators appear to have gotten a lot of the details, well, wrong. “Fake! Lies!” mutters Maxilla, while shutting one drawer after another, in disgust. “Out of place! Out of time!” she repeats, like an incantation, as she takes stock of the various items pilfered from her home planet. We attempt, with her help, to revive some of the glowing New Galapagan stones which have lost their luster, but to no avail.
Attendees of the show may find items on display are actually of a slightly different purpose than claimed by the curators. Or find that other forces are attempting to up-end Darling’s imperialistic plans. And the production also thoughtfully probes issues of what it means to be an “object on display” and how a single party can have control of a historical narrative.
Multiple characters in Musaeum are also not what they seem at first glance. Sarah Olmsead Thomas enthusiastically plays the slick, smarmy H.T. Darling in a clever, cross-gender casting choice. And the magnetic Maxilla (Trustina Sabah) who is our “humanoid specimen” from New Galapagos drops hints that this is not her true form; she confesses to a smaller group that she was tricked and seduced into coming to Earth by H.T. Darling, as she retells their first encounter. I quickly begin to fear that none of us Earthlings, including Darling himself, have an idea of what she’s capable of, though we get a hint of her powers when she uses the mere sound of her voice to stop another performer in their tracks.
And as the story deepens, and more of the power struggles within Musaeum begin to come to light, there are more questions about the veracity of the exhibition. Yet despite the occasional physical tussle, there does not feel like there’s much danger present in the show, even as a weapons demonstration goes off the rails. This seems to be one of the more difficult challenges of immersive: safely pantomiming violence even while the audience is up close and personal with the actors. With so much at stake in the story for these characters, I did wish for a bit more realism in the fight scenes or even a smear of stage blood here or there. But it’s a small note in an otherwise well-crafted, pleasing, and ambitious show.
Most of all, the thoughtful design of the experience at Musaeum makes the show accessible for anyone interested in immersive theatre, especially if they are wary of something as intense as a Punchdrunk production. The “main” scenes in Musaeum are communicated through both signage and verbal announcements, as well as gentle prodding from the museum staff (often from the empathetic concierge Clayton, played by Josh Aterovis). But there is plenty of action occurring elsewhere for patrons who choose not to follow the crowd and the main narrative thread. Luckily, the size of the audience never overwhelms the action or creates significant bottlenecks, and blocked sightlines are rare. The ability to explore the space’s exhibits at one’s own pace and interact with the charming puppets also serves as a familiar starting point for attendees not used to interacting with performers or a built environment, whereas immersive veterans will feel quite at home right away.
Upon entry, each audience member also selects a name tag to wear for the evening. (Myself, I gravitated towards a certain Duchess.) The name tag immediately makes it clear who the participants are that night (in contrast with the performers) and the role each audience member is expected to play during the show, by “casting” each attendee as a distinct individual within the world of the show. It’s both a fun ice-breaking activity to start the festivities, and effective as an immersive design decision later on. As the story unfolds, some audience members even begin to refer to each other via their chosen names for the night. And the performers often tailor their interactions with audience members based on these name tags, hinting at deeper backstories and adding yet another level to the immersion in Musaeum (for example, many in attendance on this particular night report having enjoyed the Duchess’ book).
As someone who’s attended her fair share of these sorts of works, I greatly appreciate Submersive Productions’ thoughtful attention to detail to every aspect of the audience experience. As No Proscenium editor-in-chief Noah Nelson is fond of saying, an immersive experience is often like dancing with a scene partner when you don’t know the steps. And with H.T. Darling’s Incredible Musaeum, Submersive Productions does a fine job of teaching us all how to dance in this strange, charming, and alien world.
And my dear Mr. Darling? I do believe you owe me a waltz. Wherever you are.
H.T. Darling’s Incredible Musaeum Presents: The Treasures of New Galapagos, Astonishing Acquisitions from the Perisphere continues through December 17 at the Peale Center in Baltimore. Tickets are pay what you can at $25–75.
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