At the Museum of Late Human Antiquities, the curators are fiercely committed to bringing a lost civilization to life again: What were humans really like? What did they wear, what did they eat, how did they die out? By casting us into the far future, Jordan Harrison’s new play gives us an uncanny view of the present moment, as we straddle the analog world that was and the post-human world to come.
Running 100 minutes without intermission, The Antiquities gets credit for conceptual creativity and topicality. Even though it doesn’t break new ground when it comes to the power and perils of technology, it grips with a quiet urgency.
The full title of this remarkable, thought-provoking show — A Tour of the Permanent Collection in the Museum of Late Human Antiquities — tips us off to the bleakness of Harrison’s vision for humanity’s ability to survive the current technological revolution. It also clues us into the buttoned-up formality of his approach to the subject matter, which is built on a series of about two dozen scenes that proceed chronologically from the early 19th century through 2240, and then reverse direction so that we revisit the same characters and settings from a new perspective.
| 2024 | Off-Broadway |
Playwrights Horizons Off-Broadway Premiere Production Off-Broadway |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design of a Pla | Brenda Abbandandolo |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Play | David Cromer |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Play | Caitlin Sullivan |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design of a Pl | Tyler Micoleau |
| 2025 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play | The Antiquities |
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