The Las Vegas performance art group TSTMRKT, which has been performing for 20 years in Southern Nevada and across the country, is making its Reno debut.
For comedy fans, it’s unique, dark sketch comedy with a complex framing device. For people who enjoy performance art, it’s a theatre of the absurd with wildly imaginative collage work.
The show takes place at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 3 at Good Luck Macbeth Theatre, 124 W. Taylor St., in Reno. Tickets are $15-75.
Ernest Hemmings, the group’s founder and lead performer, talked with the RN&R about what to expect from the show and the precision behind the apparent chaos of the group’s performances.
What is TSTMRKT and how did it come about?
TSTMRKT is a comedic performance art stunt that incorporates film collage, timed sound effects, and cheap theatrics. It was created from an urgent need to push the boundary that separated sketch comedy from legitimate theater and fine art. I took on the moniker “Test Market” to erase preconceived expectations and worked exclusively in a timed framing device to let the audience in on the inherent danger of a live performance. The first “Test Market” show was a midnight performance done in a junkyard in Las Vegas. Since that moment, the show has had multiple residencies, lengthy theater runs, and toured multiple times across the country.
The production sounds complicated with the visuals and soundtrack loop. Do you have to sync up with it, or do you just let it rip?
Synchronization is key to making the performance work. Every second and beat is counted. A single off syllable has the potential of wrecking the show, which is why we disregard audience reactions to the material. We cannot “hold for laughs.” We have to just keep going.
What’s the show like?
So there is a pre-show and then the show. Both are on the same track on two separate laptops connected to two different projectors. If you (the audience) come when the doors open, you’ll likely see me on the ground hovering over one of the laptops and my partner hovering over the other. You’ll hear me count down “3, 2, 1, go!” The screen and sound begin, and we leave the stage.
The preshow is called “Nothing,” and is a straight film collage made up of ancient ephemeral clips of B-roll, camera tests, commercials and home economics films—with a disco beat. It provides a countdown to the actual show, “TSTMRKT,” which is why we always tell people, “You need to show up early. We cannot hold the curtain.” Once we start, we just go. There is no pause, just like life.
This collection will take you from a frustrating call to the local Internet company, to a ride on an Amazon spaceship, to a Tinder date that goes horribly wrong, to the afterlife, to, well—it’s an adventure.
Tell me about the framing device.
The framing device is time constructed in the space of a recording. The sets and props only exist in sound effects (door opening, cabinet closing, a dish landing on a table, etc). Those sound effects are recorded in the order and timing of the imagined performance. The audio recording is then married to timed film loops. The film loops are then split into a diptych. The show begins with me hitting “start” on a laptop, and all of the tech is automated. There is no or little room for error.
You’ve been doing this for 20 years. What gives your work such longevity?
It’s a very unique show, and it’s always changing, so our home audience in Las Vegas enjoys seeing the new content and characters, while the audiences we have yet to engage in other cities are pretty intrigued. Also, as a playwright, I love the challenge of constantly creating new shows.
Have you had an instance where members of the audience became involved on stage? Has anyone got caught up in the performance and jumped up on stage in a moment of excitement?
Absolutely not. I personally think audience participation is a hack move. We will not make you pay 20 bucks and be an unwilling cast member in an Instagram video. They better not. Holy cow. I would lose my shit. I would suggest that if any audience members need that kind of attention, they should call a loved one, or join an improv group.
What is the future of TSTMRKT?
Right now, it’s laser-focused on building out projects for the 2024 festival season including the Philadelphia Fringe Arts Festival and the Toronto Comedy Festival.