SNAFU's New Earth Bandits 2 turns Esquimalt park into a futuristic playground

It was a rainy, almost bleak evening at Macaulay Point Park in Esquimalt on Aug. 14, but that only enhanced the whimsical, post-apocolyptic scene that permeated it. New Earth Bandits 2, a theatrical experience running Aug. 14-17 and 21-24, is put on by SNAFU and is unlikely to be like anything you've ever seen. In the waterfront park, featuring remnants of a historic military outpost, audiences can explore – at their own pace –  a theme park of futuristic characters. Whether emerging from a tunnel to the sounds of singing, or twisting around a wall of blackberry bushes, theatre pops from all corners, as certain characters weave between scenes and dreamt-up worlds. "It's very curious," one audience member was overheard saying. Others gleefully participated, joining characters in dancing, role play or improv exchanges. Co-artistic director Kathleen Greenfield said there is an "immersive, scavenger-hunt feel to the show" and that audiences can experience it in new, different ways each time. SNAFU worked with a number of community groups to imagine what possible new worlds await the human race 5,000 years in the future. Collaborators include artists on parole, Latin American artists, and artists of all abilities from the Embrace Foundation.  In a past interview with Victoria News, Greenfield clarified that New Earth Bandits is not a post-apocalyptic play: rather, it’s about a generative and imaginative world-building. Amid themes of destruction, foxes laid out persian rugs inviting audience members to dance, a hilarious green knight challenged a stranger to a duel, and there were many fantastical costumes, ranging from hobbit-like to mythological. But, of course, it was impossible to see it all, and that was part of the magic. BREAKING NEW TERRITORY IN VICTORIA THEATRE Creating a show with so many elements meant there was a lot to experiment with when New Earth Bandits premiered last year. Greenfield said important things were learned in that production that influenced this year's show.   "I learned that it is most exciting when there are things going on everywhere in the park, but to investigate clear ways to invite the audience to the 'next thing' so they aren't left for too long without a performance to see," she said.    While this style of show might be novel for many audience members, for SNAFU, innovation has always been the name of the game. The company has been creating site-specific theatre since 2006. Greenfield said she's always been "interested in finding new ways to tell stories. "I find it challenging to sit in a dark theatre listening to people recite text, so New Earth Bandits is offering a new way to experience art as a community."