Critics stopped by BURNOUT PARADISE, the new theatrical experience created by Australian collective Pony Cam. BURNOUT PARADISE features five performers attempting to complete a series of escalating tasks while running on four treadmills. Read the reviews!
The one-hour performance challenges the cast to finish assignments ranging from cooking a three-course meal to completing a grant application before time runs out. If the performers do not complete their list within the allotted hour, audiences are offered their money back.
The company is comprised of Claire Bird, Ava Campbell, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub, and Hugo Williams.
BURNOUT PARADISE is in performances now at the Astor Place Theatre.
Gillian Russo, New York Theatre Guide: A simple, impromptu moment toward my performance’s end rung most memorable in that regard. One audience member enjoying the three-course meal revealed it was the first food he’d eaten all day; our show started at 7 p.m. It’s one thing to gleefully gamify the experience of burnout, to caricature it with over-the-top feats of multitasking. It’s another to be reminded that it more often manifests in quieter ways.
Thom Geier, Culture Sauce: Near the end, while we waited for their total distance to be tallied, the tuckered troupe launched into a re-creation of OK Go’s routine from the music video “Here We Go Again.” It was impressively perfect. Burnout Paradise is a real feat of endurance, for the dogged cast as well as the audience. Over time, I felt mostly exhausted by the sensory overload. And deeply sympathetic for performers willing to subject themselves to the requirements of this show eight times a week. Your mileage may vary.
Raven Snook, Time Out New York: I first saw Burnout Paradise in its brief 2024 run at Brooklyn’s St. Ann’s Warehouse, and it was one of my favorite theatrical experiences of that season. Although the cramped Astor Place Theatre is less friendly to audience participation, revisiting the show provided a welcome rush of kamikaze joy. The four runners—Claire Bird, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub and Hugo Williams—are marvelous multitaskers, as quick with their quips as they are with their pace. Ava Campbell serves as a charming ringmaster, explaining the rules, overseeing the timer, handing out Gatorade and playfully pushing Pony Cam merch. Together, they offer a unique adrenaline-fueled performance every night. Exhaustion has never been so invigorating.
Matthew Wexler, 1 Minute Critic: Did I experience a vicarious endorphin rush after watching the cast collectively run over 17 miles? Not exactly. But it didn’t really matter. Their enthusiasm was irresistible. I declined to leap out of my seat at one of the many prompts, but I did email a photo I took mid-performance, per the admin treadmill’s request. He responded in real time, which admittedly felt special.
Average Rating:
80.0%
.
