Accomplice: New York051

Psst! You! Yes, you! Don't let anyone see you reading this, but we have something to share with you on a "need to know," basis. There's this interactive performance going on in New York, see, and word on the street is that it's actually really fun - particularly for teenagers and families with older kids.

It all starts with a phone call - after the one you make to book a date. A mysterious voice gives you the coordinates for the start of the experience. Upon arrival, somewhere in Manhattan (in our case, it was the Seaport), you might notice other rookie audience members loitering about, waiting for something to happen. Prepare to bond. These are the people you'll be racing around town with, trying to accomplish ridiculously entertaining tasks.

Even those who are ordinarily shy find it hard to resist getting swept up in the enthusiasm of their fellow audience "accomplices," and the group of actors conducting this interactive tour/show/parade blend so seamlessly into the fabric of the city that it may be hard to distinguish between the show and reality.

The script is ordinarily a bit R-rated, but the actors tone it down to PG when kids are present. And because it is live theater, with a different audience pitching in at every performance, no two shows are ever alike.

The experience involves a lot of walking, but it's punctuated by frequent rest stops (especially appreciated when the weather is very hot or very cold) at local pubs and bars - kids below the legal drinking age get soft drinks.

As a way to get to know lower Manhattan, or a bonding experience, Accomplice is hard to beat. It's inventive, entertaining, and (okay, you can say you heard it from us) a blast!