Unintentional Significance By Sean P Mette Was (Surprise) Significant To Us

Autumn Kaleidoscope left us with some moments to treasure.

Ricky and Dana Howzie, The Young-Howze Theater Journal

August 22, 2021

One of the biggest things that Video On Demand haters say besides “recorded theatre is film” is that live theatre is better because it is an ephemeral (one time experience) for the audience. The performer is doing this all in the moment and anything could happen to upset the show. A rabid wolverine could run onstage and gnaw the performer’s leg off. Their hair could spontaneously combust. Or they could just make a mistake. The idea is that once the performer takes their final bow that the moment is lost and can never be recreated. I do feel that Video on Demand can offer the same once in a lifetime experience that live-streaming can and Sean P Mette’s show “Unintentional Significance” is the best example. This show from Cincy Fringe uses short vignettes and puppets to create a weird and moving experience that is different for everybody.

There is so much going on in Mette’s show that I can’t remember it all. In my mind’s eye I see burning marshmallows, a rabbit with a skull face, a spaghetti monster playing chess (someone tell the pastafarians we found their deity), and an affectionate water dragon. There was more but those were the images that stuck with me. That’s the joy of this play. What stuck with me is not what will stick with others. There were no overarching plots, heroes, or villains. There are some things that are intensely cerebral and other things that are just plain silly. Whatever you get from it is a reflection of what you wanted to see. Everything else just left without a trace.

And then on the surface are the zany puppets! What more do you need in life than to watch puppets talking to statues or playing chess. Puppeteers are some of my favorite people because they can take the most simple or intricate of sculptures and make them come alive with the slightest movement. Puppets become an extension of the puppeteer. They are also a reflection of their maker. In this piece we saw Mette’s playfulness, love of the macabre, and his vast range of talents. This show became an extension of him too. If you want to know all you need to know about Mette in an hour (or as much as he’s willing to tell you) then this is a great way to do it.

There are ways that Mette could have played with the format to make this show even more ephemeral. I think that Mette could have gone further and found a way that the audience could have chosen the order of the clips. You could have two audience members who watched the same show but have had a completely different experience. You could even take another step and let the audience choose a limited number of clips so there are some that they won’t even see unless they come and see it again. Those are only two ways that Mette could make this a one time experience for the audience. I think that this show is ninety percent of the way to a truly ephemeral experience in onDemand that rivals what you can get in a livestream. If more can be done I would encourage Mette to try.

Check Them Out At Rochester Fringe!