Explore the Depths of the Soul with ‘Bottom of the Ocean’ (Review)
We submerge ourselves into Andrew Hoepfner’s new immersive show in Brooklyn
Editor’s Disclosure: NoPro contributor Leah Ableson is a cast member of Bottom of the Ocean. She had no input or foreknowledge of the contents of this review.
I step out into the real world again, like I am waking from a beautiful dream. I inhale the cool fresh air, like a diver inhaling after breaching the surface, post-nautical expedition. Yet I yearn to return back to the depths. How much of what I just experienced had been real? The past hours seem to have flown by, yet somehow also seem to have felt like an eternity. Sadly, I must turn away from the calling waves behind me, leaving their siren call, and return to the mundane.
Bottom of the Ocean (BOTO for short) is a brand new immersive experience from Andrew Hoepfner, creator of Houseworld and co-creator of Whisperlodge. The show occupies a unique space known as Gymnopedie, which lies hidden beneath an old church building in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
Walking down a set of stairs, a neon sine wave greets visitors, and a password is required for entry. Once my initiation test is completed, I am led to a waiting room, surrounded by the sea. Seascapes, nautical vessels, the skeleton of a seal all leer down at me from their frames. The space is dark and a gentle hum seems to envelop me. Soon it is time, and I am invited to cross the veil, to descend to the deepest, darkest waters in my journey to the Bottom of the Ocean.
I have decided to try to paint a picture of BOTO using as broad strokes as possible, as I believe that any more detail could potentially take away from an individual’s journey in this experience (which I would hate to do). This truly is a show that must be experienced to be believed and must be experienced to be understood. With that being said, the essence of the show is an exploration of nautical life, of what might be found lurking in the depths of the ocean, but also an exploration of oneself through guided meditation and reflection. In short, BOTO is beautiful, unique, and has my absolute highest recommendation possible.
I felt utterly cared for throughout the entire two-hour experience, with every single moment of my time being carefully curated and choreographed throughout the space. My guides were keen to ensure that I was actively involved and catered to at all times. Right at the beginning of the experience, it is stated that safety is paramount and consent is key. Through a simple exercise as a prelude to the BOTO experience, I know that the team really stands behind this important safety precaution and that I am invited to actively partake in its implementation. With such a small audience size (a maximum of five participants at a time) intimacy is to be found right from the beginning of the show.
(Minor spoilers follow.)
In one room, I encounter a strange cyclops-type creature who seems to stare deep into my very soul. He invites me to join him in a chant, and as we make music together, he hands me my own costume to wear. “I look like myself… and I am changing… always.” The show invites audience members to contemplate this internal metamorphosis, as the rooms around us change themselves. Sometime, and several rooms later, I catch a glance of myself in a mirror, but find only an aquatic creature staring right back at me.
Bottom of the Ocean’s set and costume design are disarmingly delightful and charming. An alluring lobster (played by Jason Spina) stands in front of me, his outfit and mask entirely made from rubber gloves. Following a child-like sea monkey (a delightful Chia Kwa), I enter a memory palace filled with what I am told are my own memories, which take the form of brightly colored balloons. A giant jellyfish presides over its domain, its tentacles lighting up to the sound of the worshippers around it. Everything within Gymnopedie has a lovingly whimsical handmade quality to it. While it may not be the most expensive set I have come across in immersive theatre, it is certainly one of the most memorable. The creative team has been able to create such a rich and vibrant world with relatively little, and it is instantly inviting.
Every single room, every encounter in BOTO, has been meticulously curated to ensure that I feel comfortable, even in potentially uncomfortable moments. Within its surreal walls, I am gently asked to confront quite real emotions and feelings. Questions of pain, or of memories both good and bad, or even of the afterlife itself, are raised during the performance. It is so hard to accurately describe the emotions that I feel during my time at BOTO, but despite the potentially “heavy” themes which are brought to the surface, I know that I am being cared for every step of the way. I am always given enough time to carefully consider my answers, and my answers are respectfully listened to, and may even return in unexpected ways later on during my time within the show. I may also occasionally experience an ASMR-induced tingle, but it is the inner workings lurking beneath the waves that truly move me.
And also the singing.
There is so much wonderful singing in this piece. Music is an integral part of the BOTO experience, with almost every encounter involving some form of musical expression. From child-like rhymes to darkly metaphorical lyrics, songs pervade almost every moment. The very walls that surround me seem to sing and reflect the musical score of the experience. Music is even required as a rite of passage into the building itself. A whole range of instruments are utilized throughout the seabed, from chimes, gongs, bells, ceramic bowls, this is a deeply musical experience. I am invited to partake and I am delighted to do so. As a music teacher, I know I am biased, but I do believe that whether it be singing back as a round, or joining in with a chant, participation is key to truly receiving this unique experience. Not only this, but a philosophy of “play” permeates the entire show. Guides invite participants to copy them, or guess a drawing, or count bizarre items, but always to actively participate in the experiences that are provided.
The final scene in Bottom of the Ocean involves a sound bath, with the music of strange and beautiful instruments resounding around a large open space around me. I am invited to lay down on a bed, to allow myself to sink deeper into the music around me. I close my eyes and am transported into a realm of quiet meditation I have not been able to access since the pandemic put a halt to our lives.
The entire time I am in BOTO, I am filled with awe, wonder, and joy at what I am able to see, do and experience. While exploring an alien world, and taking part in the most unusual of rituals, I somehow feel completely catered and cared for. In a post-pandemic world of entertainment, BOTO stands high above other immersive shows I have seen so far. This show has been in development for several years, and so while not designed specifically for this moment in our collective history, the show is a perfect remedy for the past two years. It is an invitation to reflect and to respond to whatever state of life you might find yourself in right now.
When it is time for my expedition to be over, I am overcome with a sense of quiet grief. I simply do not want to leave these precious moments. My guides gently walk with me to the door. As I turn back for a final glance, they stand resolutely before me, almost like an honor guard to everything that has come before and to my own experiences within the world of Bottom of the Ocean. Truly, a treasure trove awaits whoever dares dive deep into this most unusual of worlds.
Slowly, but surely, I leave this world and make my way back up the stairs, back up to the surface, a changed being.
Bottom of the Ocean — created by Andrew Hoepfner in collaboration with Chia Kwa — is now playing at Gymnopedie located at 1139 Bushwick Ave, Brooklyn. Tickets are $45–70 dollars and regularly sell out at drop. We recommend signing up for their mailing list.
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