Thirty short plays. Sixty minutes. A neurodivergent edition of the San Francisco Neo-Futurists' long-running showcase, The NeoDivergent Wrench is a one-weekend-only special edition coming Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18-19, with a 9 p.m. curtain both nights.
The San Francisco Neo-Futurists present The Infinite Wrench, the rapid-fire, ever-rotating theatrical format the ensemble has performed, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. For The NeoDivergent Wrench, the ensemble has built a cast and script list around neurodivergent writers and performers. The article identifies theater critic Lily Janiak.
The production includes work by neurodivergent writers and performers. The coverage also includes work by Danni Blackman.
A Format Built to Skip the Performance
What makes those images land the way they do is the format itself. Neo-Futurism, devised in Chicago in 1988, rests on three core principles: performers remain themselves, events occur in the present and onstage, and performers act without pretense, according to the Indiana Daily Student. In this format, performers remain themselves rather than adopting fictional characters.
The San Francisco Neo-Futurists' current branding traces back to a 2017 announcement. The Neo-Futurists announced The Infinite Wrench as a successor to their earlier flagship show, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, as Time Out reported at the time.
From PianoFight to Theater 33
Additional San Francisco Neo-Futurist performances were scheduled at the Tenderloin venue PianoFight before the indie arts hub permanently closed in March 2023, as Hoodline previously reported. The closure ended PianoFight's run as a music and theater venue.
The NeoDivergent Wrench takes place in San Francisco. The San Francisco Neo-Futurists operate as a performance collective. The article also mentions Intersection for the Arts.
One of Many Themed Editions
The NeoDivergent Wrench follows a pattern of specialty programming. The group has presented themed editions of The Infinite Wrench, per SF Funcheap.
The show's focus on neurodivergence arrives amid broader discussion of autism, ADHD and related mental-health conditions.
The article also mentions the San Francisco Disability Cultural Center.
Tickets and Show Details
The NeoDivergent Wrench runs for one weekend only, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18-19, with performances beginning at 9 p.m. each night. Ticket prices are not specified here.
