Synetic Theater opens its season with a remount of its 2013 hit The Tempest, complete with its stunning watery world creation, amphibian-like cast, pounding AMC decibel electronic score, and a splash zone which has at least the first few rows of people roaring for more dousing abuse in a truly immersive theatrical experience.
Yes, water creates both a theatrical universe and becomes an evolving character in the production. Early on in the storm it’s shown as terrifying and life-threatening, then water becomes a magical playmate, and finally an instrument of absolution and a blessing.
In 2001, Synetic Theater exploded out of the gates with its first “wordless” Shakespeare and quickly dominated the local theatrical field. Most Washington audiences had never seen anything like it (not knowing of the strong tradition of corporal theatre, especially in Eastern Europe.) There was a period when, year after year, the theatrical partnership of Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili could do no wrong, wracking up annual awards and garnering buzz for its visionary leadership and the electrifying athleticism of its mostly young ensemble. Synetic actors were everywhere, moved as a pack, and were celebrated on stage and spotted on local dance floors. If judges have become complacent about Synetic Theater, this revival should change that.
The Tempest has all the earmarks of some of the company’s best Shakespeare-based work. Like Hamlet…the rest is silence, director Tsikurishvili has gone into the play with something like a magnifying glass to blow up in size some pearl-like metaphors in the play. He seizes on these and in rehearsal plays with the very structure of the smallest part and, at its best, creates something fresh and profound.
It feels as if the central exploration for The Tempest has settled on the nature of power. This year’s iteration brings Irina Tsikurishvili into the central role as Prospera, whose brush with death at the beginning makes her fight fiercely for survival but then become grasping, holding onto the power she discovers.
As in its most remarkable production of King Lear, the company is known for its creation of a stunning visual universe. For that, show designer Anastasia Simes gave us a massive world of sand. Here she makes the entire stage a shallow pool. Simes incorporates rocks, slides, and hanging curtains and strips of cloth over which Andrew Griffins has created a gorgeous rippling light show.
What marks this company’s style is how the actor-dancers then move through the world. Here they climb, slip, slide, swim, and splash and invent other movements peculiar and revelatory to each character. Darn, it looks fun, like a fantasy-themed Waterpark.
And, as in its most remarkable production of Macbeth, at the center of every show is the exploration of the psychology and relationships revealed through focusing on a few central characters.
Irina Tsikurisvhili is a commanding mother, now beaming proudly at her beautiful and accomplished daughter Miranda, now sternly reprimanding her rambunctious family that includes Ariel and Caliban, now in perilous combat to hold onto supreme control. We’ve seen this remarkable dancer-performer in romantic and comedic leads. As Prospera, she exudes a kind of majestic even massive physical power. She draws her great staff through the water, and creatures are trawled toward her. She shakes the staff in the air and bodies flip and are flung away through space.
Her son in life, Vato reprises his role as Caliban and demonstrates he has become a mature and masterful performer. With the red rubbery full-bodysuit sporting two ridiculous appendages as ears and red painted face with ringed black eyes, he uses this “mask” to great effect, milking the silly goofiness for all its worth then stopping up our laughter with looks as woefully pathetic and endearing as Eyeore. Vato owns the role of Caliban.
Alex Mills seems born to play the role of Ariel. Seeing him outside before the show, I even believed he must take home his metallic-silver skin, so deliciously other-worldly is this performer. His quick bright eyes, Peter-Sellars-spiked hair, and exaggerated and pliable rib cage create a most distinctive physical presence and style. In recent years, he has added a laser focus and strength to his work. He is mesmerizing as he reveals and “plays” the “sweet airs” of his island on the work’s iconic set piece –a piano that spouts a cascading waterfall. He becomes a foil for Prospera as he quite brilliantly explores and teases out power in the way he taunts and threatens the audience with water.
The Tempest closes October 20, 2019. Details and tickets
Konstantine Lortkipanidze has created aurally a signature style for the company over the course of his close collaboration as part of the creative team, and in The Tempest the auditorium seems at times to drip with water like an underground cave, then shift to a musical world of crystal chimes, only to rock thunderously. Once again, the score is almost through-composed.
The ensemble members swirl around the stage in delicious choreographed sequences, as always supplied by multi-award-winning company choreographer Irina Tsikurishvili, There are a few standout physical dance performances including Megan Khaziran as Antonia and Maryam Najafzada as Miranda. Najafzada is paired charmingly with Scott Brown as the youngsters who discover love.
Well, we shouldn’t quibble, but…perhaps there are one or two too many fight scenes. Am I alone feeling that the production devolves at times into something more like popular Hollywood super-hero stuff, especially when paired with the blaring electronic score?
I am also aware of the company members who have departed but whose personalities have indelibly stamped Synetic. Their ether somehow lingers, as Paata Tsikurishvili notes nostalgically in his program notes: people like Ben Cunis, Phillip Fletcher, and the inimitable Irakli Kavsadze. (Kavsadze killed it in his clown scene in the initial production of The Tempest.) I miss their brilliant physical control and the emotional depth and maturity in their performances. Like an athletic franchise, however, there comes a time when a team has to be built up again.
The Tsikurishvilis have proven they have the enduring hearts and stomachs for this business and the vision and talent to reinvent themselves. The local scene is immeasurably enriched by their work.
Come take in this rich waterworld of a comedy. Splash zone seats apply. Come join the audience that enthusiastically agrees to be abused. The performers, especially Alex Mills, will oblige.
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The Tempest. Based on the play by William Shakespeare. Adapted by Nathan Weinberger. Directed by Paata Tsikurishvili. Choreographed by Irina Tsikurishvili. Composed and Sound Design by Konstantine Lortkipanidze, Scenic and Costume Designer Anastasia Simes. Lighting Design by Andrew Griffin. Pools Construction by Stephen Ross/Cr Home Services. With Irina Tsikurishvili, Alex Mills, Vato Tsikurishvili, Scott Brown, Maryam Najafzada, Anne Flowers, Megan Khaziran. Pablo Guillen, Katherine DuBois Maguire, Joshua Cole Lucas, Scean Aaron, and Katherine Frattini. Production Stage Manager Genevieve Dornemann. Produced by Synetic Theater. Reviewed by Susan Galbraith.
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