In the same way that everyone sees something different in an inkblot, people want different things from their theatre-going experiences. If you’re someone who likes to have a lot of background on what the experience will be like before you come to the theatre, read on. This page focuses on CONTENT INFORMATION.
There may be some low-key spoilers ahead.
Return to the main SLEEPING GIANT page for schedule and ticketing information
HOW LONG IS IT?
About 90 minutes with no intermission
WHAT HAPPENS?
THEMES: Cults, Blind Faith, love, lust, infidelity, nature, relationships, trust, sex, sexuality, suicide, LGBTQ+, supernatural, butterflies, the afterlife, lake monsters.
When a firework-filled marriage proposal goes very wrong, the accompanying explosions wake up something very old that has been sleeping in the nearby lake for thousands of years. What follows are seven intimate, darkly comic, and sometimes startling vignettes about a lakeside community, where the stories of a malevolent creature living in the lake are changing everything they thought they knew.
The play explores the allure of dangerous idols, the undertow of mob mentality, and the desperate search for something to believe in – a struggle that resonates as both timeless and dangerously urgent.
IS THIS PLAY FUNNY OR SAD OR WEIRD OR WHAT?
Yes.
As with a lot of the work Rorschach chooses, SLEEPING GIANT explores a range of human experiences. The show is a dark comedy thriller. There are scary and shocking moments that are balanced with humor. Though it goes to some pretty wild and even supernatural places, the play is grounded in an emotional reality that is familiar and accessible.
IS THIS PLAY GOING TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR MY MOM/KID/PASTOR/CO-WORKER/1ST DATE?
“Appropriate” is a relative word, but here are a few things to know when deciding who to bring to the theatre with you:
We recommend our audiences be 16+ for this one, but we don’t require it. If you’ve reviewed the info below and are comfortable bringing your younger child, they are welcome. Here’s what you can expect:
LANGUAGE:
There is a moderate amount of swearing – most of the four letter words that you would expect in realistic adult language.
SEXUAL CONTENT:
There is some kissing but no sexual activity is depicted.
A public sexual encounter (an infidelity) is discussed with some detail.
There is a scene with a male character in his underwear.
VIOLENCE & GORE:
A non-violent murder suicide is depicted in a comic fashion (through poison).
Characters interact with and eat fish entrails as well as another unidentified bloody “offering”
A character is threatened with a knife.
A character describes a mob attack and drowning.
INTERACTIVITY:
As with all Rorschach shows, the action is very close to the audience, but the cast has no interaction with the audience.
If you have any additional questions about content,
please email us at info@rorschachtheatre.com.
