New York's unique and eclectic neighborhoods are part of what makes the city so interesting. Accomplice: New York makes the experience of visiting those areas thrilling.
It's hard to describe the experience of this walking tour/scavenger hunt without giving away vital information that could spoil the adventure for the next person. But this three-hour tour is worth the leap of faith. Actually, the less you know about what's in store, the better. It all starts at a confidential meeting spot where you meet the teammates who will accompany you on this walking tour.
It begins with a scrambled message in downtown Manhattan, and leads you through the streets searching for clue after clue until you reach your final destination a couple of miles north in Little Italy. Over the course of your travels, you meet a cast of crazy characters, all of whom are skilled in the art of improv. While you're there to complete a specified mission, what you experience as you wander through the many, diverse neighborhood and locations is what this show is all about. It's truly the journey that makes Accomplice so enjoyable and memorable.
Since there's no tour guide to steer you -- you rely entirely on maps and codes -- this tour of lower Manhattan is a rare opportunity to explore portions of the city that tourists and even some natives may never have seen before. Speed isn't of the essence here, as participants are expected to wander around along the way. When you're navigating around a street you're unfamiliar with, you're more likely to pay attention to your surroundings and to keep your head up. Also, since some clues rely on assistance from others, some New Yorkers might find themselves speaking to strangers more often than they would have alternatively.
That's the where the fun of the game kicks in. You spend much of the three hours just trying to figure out what's going on, and by the time the show concludes, you find yourself wishing for more. More characters, clues, and destinations to discover, but also more of the vacation from reality and a chance to let your imagination run wild. Right up to the end of the show, you'll find yourself wondering where the game ends and reality sets back in. Thankfully, Accomplice has two other New York shows that you can register for if you wish to dive back into the role of the sleuth.