Lennox Mutual – Candle House Collective – Review
by M. Quinn

Candle House Collective have returned with their latest creation; Lennox Mutual. Candle House Collective are a “NYC/ Chicago-based experimental theatre company specializing in remote immersive experiences”. To put it bluntly, a performance via your mobile phone! You book a slot, and then wait alone in a room for your phone to ring at the specified time. During the performance, you’ll be one-to-one with an actor in a live, interactive performance that can go in any number of directions.

Candle House Collective like to keep their audience in the dark about the performance, as the element of surprise is important to the work, so there will be no spoilers here or only mild ones! There is a Frequently Asked Questions section on their website that does give some elements away. Using their own words, Lennox Mutual is a “life en-surance” company. This production is described as a “live, serialized theatrical experience, curated just for you”. If you’re looking for spoilers, I’d suggest you have a look at the Reddit group dedicated to the work, where many of the audience members discuss their journey! A lot of these people are die-hard fans, and they even go as far as suggesting you take notes on each session! There is also a recent New Yorker article on the production, which again desperately strives not to give too much away!

You can book the performance for 1 or 3 sessions at a time.  There is also an option for an ‘Eternity Plan’ which is currently over-subscribed with a waiting list to join. This will allow the audience members to book as many slots as they want. Each phone call will last approximately 23 minutes. You’ll be asked a number of questions along the way, some seem inconsequential and others feel like they’re probing the depths of your soul! You will hear stories and are asked to make decisions on what the character does next. There are also games and music, with songs and florid piano music throughout.

The style of writing is a key element, and it is a fantasy or science fiction story with a touch of dark humour. There is a similarity to the recent TV show Severance, with the two productions exploring worlds of unusual businesses supplying unspecified products or services. With Lennox Mutual first starting in June 2022, they both started life around the same time. Charlie Kaufman is an easy comparison to throw into the mix for similar styles of writing.

A lot of people treat theatre as something that happens on a stage, with the actors up there and the audience down here. If you’re not interested in exploring new forms of theatre and performance, then I suggest you stick to the more tried and trusted structures. If you’re a fan of work with a bit more of an edge, then this could be for you!

Going back to the FAQ section, one question is quite telling as it asks ‘How long does it take to finish the whole thing? Does it End?’. After 3 sessions with Lennox Mutual, I feel I have hardly cracked the surface of the work! After my first session, I was worried that I was doing something wrong, and not making enough progress. After doing all three, you realise there is no right or wrong, it’s the journey that counts! A massive amount of work has gone into creating this sprawling world, and it’s fascinating to explore it.

“Do you feel you have spent your time wisely?” – Lennox Mutual