Much has been written about Temporary Distortion's now signature form. Those who come to Newyorkland for the purpose of seeing an assemblage in action will not be disappointed.

NewYorkLand

In some ways I can only think in single words...devastating, mesmerizing, raw, profound, rare, inventive, haunting.... There is a moment where a cop describes meditation and I can only put down my own thoughts about this stunning piece of work, this assemblage, by entering into a meditative state myself.

Temporary Distortions Newyorkland is the kind of work that takes the content hammer and bludgeons you to death.  Yes we know police work can be difficult, that it's a job that takes its toll on the psyche, and like war vets, there's a certain inevitability of PTSD amongst its workers. In other words, Newyorkland is a work whose content is known before the show even begins, a work that has little new to say, suggesting that the show is in fact not about content at all. This begs the question, is Newyorkland about form?

The members of Temporary Distortion put on a beautifully-crafted show. They refer to Newyorkland as assemblage, not theatre, and experiencing their work is a bit like seeing a Rauschenberg Combine brought to life. Their aesthetic is unique, minimalist in tone but visually rich, and their method of fusing film and live theatre is impressively effective.
This particular piece has one essential thing to say, and while it seems pretty simple and obvious, trust me – you’ll probably understand it a lot differently after seeing this show:

Cops are people, too.