Fresh water is no longer something we can take for granted. Rivers run dry with alarming regularity and the reservoirs that supply the world’s largest cities continue to recede, leaving behind pale “bathtub rings” as stark reminders of our collective thirst. It is often predicted that future wars will be fought not over oil or gas, but over access to safe, clean drinking water. Scarcity is no longer a distant threat. It is a present reality.
It is from this uneasy reality that Parched imagines its future. Set in a dry, dusty world where human life as we know it has vanished, a sentient mushroom scavenges for that most precious resource. When it discovers a deep well left behind by former human inhabitants and manages to bring it back to life, the triumph is short lived. It quickly becomes clear that it is not alone in its search for liquid refreshment.
Puppets of varying size and scale are used to striking effect throughout, creating a filmic sense of perspective. We were particularly impressed by the interplay between large, close-up puppets in the foreground and tiny replicas positioned in the background, a clever device that adds both depth and scale to key scenes.
The band consisting of Hilary Hawke, Brett Parnell and Jess Tsang prove themselves accomplished musicians, providing the driving force behind this 90 minute production, performed entirely without dialogue. They are far more than accompaniment. By the final scenes, all three musicians are fully integrated into the action, stepping onto the stage to assist with the manipulation of puppets and scenery during some of the more intricate sequences.
The puppeteers themselves (Andy Manjuck, Dorothy James, Jon Riddleberger, Joseph Lymous and Madeleine Dauer) are visible throughout, and this choice adds another layer to the experience. The audience is free to focus solely on the puppets or to observe the physical craft behind the illusion. Watching the performers breathe life into the characters with such precision and dexterity becomes part of the storytelling.
The technical execution is equally impressive. The near flawless coordination between puppetry, lighting, and special effects allows the cinematic style lighting to land with precision. Performers move fluidly around the stage, consistently hitting their marks and maintaining the immersive quality of the world being created.
Overall, this is an impressive and thoroughly enjoyable production. The 90 minutes fly by as we follow our mushroom hero on its extraordinary adventure. Beyond the spectacle and technical accomplishment, Parched lingers because of the questions it quietly raises. In a world increasingly defined by scarcity and extraction, this wordless fable feels both timely and unsettling. It may be set in a distant, dust-choked future, but its warning feels uncomfortably close to home.
Parched is running as part of the excellent Puppetopia 2026 festival at HERE Arts Center in Manhattan until March 1st.
Tickets and more information can be found here: https://here.org/shows/puppetopia-2026/
We are giving this 4 / 5 Ds (D D D D).
