Plato's Cave

Plato’s Cave

Lovers of spelunking and avant-garde theater alike will enjoy a trip to Plato’s Cave. Since c. 380 BC, the bottom of the cave has been the site of a continuously running shadow play, but one that breaks down the barrier between “audience” and “spectacle.”

 Philosophy

The show itself is an absurdist stream of disconnected shadows projected on the rear wall of the cave. These images represent animals, objects and people, but follow one another with no apparent logic. The real “spectacle” though, is the “audience” itself. The “spectators” are chained and immobilized, forced to watch this meaningless stream of shadows.

 Still better than "Cats."

The “performance” then consists of one’s own attempts to escape these chains, and “ends” when the “spectator” manages to crawl into the daylight. 

This probably all “means” something very profound, but scholars and dilettantes alike have been disagreeing for 2,400 years on exactly what this “meaning” is.

The theater/cave is located beneath the Plato’s Republic. Anyone can enter at any time. Admission is part of the shared delusion, and can never truly be free.

It is mandatory to include this picture of Plato somewhere.