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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2010 > August > 16 > Entry
Review: ‘Metamorphoses’
In “Metamorphoses,” a modern adaptation of classical Greek myths, the spark that creates the universe is a cigarette lit by Zeus.
This mixture of ancient tales and anachronistic, irreverent accents (Katy Perry’s summer anthem “California Gurls” makes an appearance, and Pandora’s box is represented by an Apple laptop) is a hallmark of Zach Theatre’s production, directed by Dave Steakley.
“Metamorphoses” is a collage of familiar and lesser-known myths adapted from Ovid’s poem of the same name and originally directed by Mary Zimmerman.
One of the strongest vignettes is that of Orpheus and Eurydice, whose story is told twice. In Ovid’s version, Eurydice (Rachel Wiese) is bitten by a snake on her wedding day and taken to the underworld. Hades (Aaron Alexander) agrees to let her return with Orpheus (Frederic Winkler) if he agrees not to look back at her, but he can’t help himself and is forced to replay her loss over and over.
The staging of the second version, from a 1908 poem by Rainer Maria Rilke, stands out because of its sheer poetic simplicity and its surprising perspective twist. Here, Eurydice is enthralled with death and cannot even remember who her husband Orpheus is.
Another delightful scene is when a whiny and over-privileged Phaeton (David Christopher) tells his therapist (a pitch perfect Stephanie Dunnam) about his attempt to impress his distant father (Apollo, the God of the Sun) by driving the sun across the sky. You can guess how that one ends.
A twelve-foot wide swimming pool is the centerpiece of the action, and yes, there is a splash zone. Steakley has staged some lovely moments with the pool (assisted by Jason Amato’s skillful lighting), as when three men slowly paddle a boat carrying the doomed Ceyx to sea. And dropping dry ice into the water created a gloriously creepy effect. Some of the pool use, though fun, seemed a bit gratuitous.
Nicole Whiteside’s aerial choreography is eye-catching. Will Zinser performs an especially wild, reckless solo as a fury let out of Pandora’s box. The aerial acrobatics, along with the far out costumes (designed by Blair Hurry), tilt Zach Theatre’s version of “Metamorphoses” in a decidedly more surreal and circus-esque direction than Zimmerman’s original.
Despite a few too many bells and whistles, the timeless stories—with all their heartbreak, pride, desire, and folly—still shine through.
‘Metamorphoses’ continues 8 p.m Wednesdays-Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays through September 26. Zach Theatre’s Whisenhunt Stage, 1510 Toomey Road. Tickets $20-$44. www.zachtheatre.org
Claire Canavan is an American-Statesman freelance critic.
Photo by Kirk R. Tuck.
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