Review: Immerse Yourself in FROM ON HIGH's Office Cult(ure)

If you've ever worked in an office, you know the corporate culture can start to feel a little culty. That's the premise behind OddKnock's production of From On High, an immersive experience set in RiNO's IMAC building.

As you enter, you're greeted by intern Chessica, who directs you to grab a lanyard from the wall with your "name." Oddly, each name is a version of a common name, except each starts with a CH. That's only the beginning of the oddities you're about to experience.

You're led into the offices of BANR, a company where you never really find out what you're doing, but dedication to the company is the No. 1 priority. It's your first day at work, and you're a Level 3, which means you're ready to join the team.

As you explore the offices, you meet several other employees, each with their own vibe. There's the guys Chad and Chonathan, both obsessed with their jobs in their own way. Front desk girl Charity, who's a little shy and mysterious. Chelsea, who's never not been Employee of the Month. And then Chanet, who's a little too obsessed with the office's main computer system.

Like many immersive productions, it's a choose-your-own-adventure kind of experience. After some greetings, you're allowed to explore the premises, which are cleverly lit and designed to feel like you're in a trendy office space from the 1980s (seemingly where the action takes place). Make sure to open drawers and get a closer look at whatever intrigues you most.

The show unfolds throughout a workweek from Monday through Friday, when the company's CEO He-Himself plans to visit. Each of the BANR-obsessed employees have their own unique story you can follow, sometimes they'll literally even grab your arm and take you with them.

While you may not get to see every little performance detail, it's worth making sure you wander as much as you can throughout the performance to catch each actors' portrayals. I was struck by a lot of the depth and emotional layers the performers brought to their intriguingly odd characters.

Directed by Brendan Duggan, the cast includes a group of 6 BANR employees, played by Abby Corrigan (Chessica), Tiffany Ogburn (Charity), Collin Quinn Rice (Chad), Natalia Roberts (Chelsea), Nile H. Russell (Chonathan) and Camille Taft (Chanet). The show also features set design by Maya Linke, lighting design by Jaron Kent, sound design by Nicholas Caputo and costume design by Atelier Abene.

From On High is the latest creation from Denver's OddKnock productions. Previously, their immersive production of Test Kitchen occupied a 4,000 square foot warehouse from June - September 2021 in Denver's RiNO Arts District. The company's creative team have also been a part of New York's iconic long-running immersive production Sleep No More along with several other immersive-style shows.

If you have yet to experience the wonder of immersive theatre, From On High, is weirdly wonderful escape into the kind of bizarre encounters you'll come to love from attending.

From On High runs through July 3 at the IMAC building in RiNO, 2550 Larimer Street. The production lasts about 90 minutes. Tickets are $45.

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