asses.masses information package

THE EXPERIENCE
asses.masses is a custom-made video game designed to be played on stage by a live audience in a theatre. The show lasts approximately 7+ hours. There will be four intermissions: one every two episodes. The audience is invited to collectively decide how long each intermission lasts.

We highly recommend audience members come on time and are prepared to commit to the full experience. Please bring your own refillable water bottle, a sweater, and whatever you need to feel comfortable for your time at the theatre.

The show is a collaborative experience. Audiences take turns as players using the controller, as others help make decisions, offer suggestions, and cheer them on as the story unfolds! You can expect the show to feel like a blend of a game night at a friend’s house, with a hint of an epic movie marathon, with a serving of some delicious food, and a healthy mix of political uprising.
Important: you do not need to be good at or have even played video games before in order to fully participate in asses.masses. Everyone has something to contribute to the show—please bring your friends!

THE STORY
asses.masses follows a community of pixelated asses in their quest to get their old farm and mining jobs back, despite the relentless industrialization in their region. Told across 10 episodes and through a myriad of game forms, the asses (and the live audience) must work together to confront the growing division between those who, harbouring nostalgia for ‘the old ways’, reject technology and those who embrace technology as an adaptation for surviving the present.

THE FOOD
Included in your ticket is a range of free vegetarian and lactose-free snacks and food that will be served during intermissions. There will be additional drinks available at the bar for purchase throughout the event.

AUDIENCE ADVISORY
There will be some loud sounds, music, and flashing sections as you play the game. asses.masses contains coarse language, representations of donkeys mating and humans mating (separately), audience participation, and strong revolutionary rhetoric. Recommended for mature audiences.

For more specific enquiries about how the event will run, please email info@espoonteatteri.fi

Thank you for reading this and we look forward to seeing you at the show,

Patrick and Milton
on behalf of the asses.masses team

A detailed (spoiler-filled) access guide is linked here. If you have questions or specific access needs, please contact info@espoonteatteri.fi