My good friend Cathy Hammer, reviewing Lennox Mutual, “an award-winning performance conducted entirely on the telephone,” for her site The Unforgettable Line:

This fictional “life en-surance” company would have a customer service representative reach out at the agreed upon times. Beyond that description, I did not know what to expect. […]

There are elements of improvisation, puzzle making, psychodrama, guided meditation, and interactive gaming, plus pure gut instinct. Each call lasts between 20 and 25 minutes and comes from an unknown number. You will need to be somewhere you can be alone and in dim lighting when you answer. You should also be prepared to sing, respond to unusual questions, and complete potentially disturbing scenarios.

As a theatre and improv nerd, the concept of an improv-driven, phone-based theatre experience fascinates me. But as someone who dislikes phone calls generally and absolutely loathes customer service calls in particular, this sounds like nightmare fuel. I’m getting anxious just thinking about it.

Scanning the (spoiler-heavy) Reddit threads, I see several people completing their 12th, 20th, even 38th call. They’re either dedicated to the bit or addicted—possibly both. I’ve avoided reading too far beyond headlines and unspoiled content, but I gather the experience can get emotional—which the Lennox Mutual FAQ seems to confirm, saying your time “may get personal and intense” and offering a “safe phrase” to end the call.

Whew. That’s too much immersion.