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SEVEN SINS brings the Garden of Eden to Bushwick

March 8, 2020 / Tami Shaloum

Amy Jo Jackson (The Devil) and the cast of SEVEN SINS
Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

The sexiest dance theater company in town has outdone itself again and produced the sexiest show in town. Company XIV’s newest confection is Seven Sins and, boy, is it delicious. Pure decadence wrapped in the myth of Adam and Eve meets the seven deadly sins, the Bible has never looked this good.

Cemiyon Barber (Adam) and Danielle J.S. Gordon (Eve)
Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

For years, Company XIV has relied on a tried-and-true formula to structure the narrative arc of their productions. Take a well-known fairy tale, story, or myth, and designate a narrator to lead the ingénue along a naughty path to losing their innocence. Present a series of sinful dances and aerial acts set to a variety of pop, jazz, and classical music, and end with a hedonistic can-can followed by a soul-cleansing pas de deux performed by the ingénue and her prince. Throw some glitter on top and some spectacular costumes (Zane Pihlstrom), and you’ve got yourself a Company XIV show.

Marcy Richardson (Vanity)
Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

This formula works so well because of the amazing talent showcased on any given night at the company’s theater in Bushwick. In Seven Sins, the narrator is–appropriately–the Devil (Amy Jo Jackson) and she is introducing not one ingénue but two–Adam (Scott Schneider and Cemiyon Barber alternating nights) and Eve (Danielle J.S. Gordon and Emily Stockwell)–to the sinful delights of the world. Cue the seven deadly sins, the usual parade of lithe, corseted and pastie-covered performers masquerading as Vanity (Marcos Antonio Vasquez and Marcy Richardson), Wrath (Demi Remick), Lust (Lilin), Jealousy (Troy Lingelbach and Nolan McKew), Sloth (Nicholas Katen alternating with Troy Lingelbach), Greed (Richardson), and Gluttony (Sam Urdang and Pretty Lamé).

Pretty Lamé (Gluttony) and the cast of SEVEN SINS
Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

I’m always amazed at how XIV’s creator, choreographer, and director Austin McCormick can find fresh ways to present this formula with each show. Seven Sins is no exception. Even some of the performers I’ve seen countless times before still manage to wow. Richardson, showcasing her preternatural breath support as an opera-singing pole dancer, is always a wonder to behold. One of the highlights of the show is a double lyra act by Lingelbach and McKew, who perform the routine right above the audience. And the addition of a tap dance on banquet tables by Remick brings the audience right into the action.

Nolan McKew and Troy Lingelbach (Jealousy)
Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

Speaking of the banquet tables, this latest addition is particularly ingenious. Two long tables–aka VIP Serpent seats–allow audience members to sit and enjoy a sumptuous multi-course food and cocktail pairing served by the company members, often as part of the show. These seats provide an immersive experience like no other. It’s the closest you’ll get to being part of the action, and a positively sinful way to enjoy Seven Sins.

The cast of SEVEN SINS performing the can-can
Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

Company XIV’s Seven Sins runs through October 31, 2020 at Théâtre XIV.

A dysfunctional family spills the tea in ONE GREEN BOTTLE

March 3, 2020 / Tami Shaloum

Lilo Baur, Hideki Noda, and Glyn Pritchard
Photo by Terry Lin

A family that’s chained together does not necessarily stay together in One Green Bottle. Acclaimed Japanese playwright Hideki Noda, Artistic Director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, wrote, directed, and stars in this farce, now playing at La MaMa, in association with Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and Noda’s theater company NODA・MAP.

One Green Bottle features an excellent international and gender-reversed cast, with the Japanese Noda as Mother (Boo), Swiss actress Lilo Baur as Father (Bo), and Welsh actor Glyn Pritchard as Pickle, their teenage daughter. Taking place over the course of one long night, all three family members have plans to go out. But who is going to stay home with their very pregnant dog, Princess? Each selfishly believes his or her own plans are more important than the others. Boo has a ticket to a concert by her favorite boy band; she never gets to go out. Bo, a well-respected theater actor, is attending a meeting he simply cannot miss. And Pickle just has to go out and meet her friends; they are discussing very important things.

It doesn’t take long for the family to fall apart over this conundrum. Secrets are revealed, arguments flare, and the family ends up staying home together anyway, just not at all like they had intended.

One Green Bottle, originally a Japanese play (English translation by Will Sharpe), features music based on Japanese Noh and Kabuki traditions (Genichiro Tanaka) that does a good job of underpinning the various ebbs and flows of the story. Not being too familiar with Noh and Kabuki, it’s unclear to me whether Noda is employing these traditions in the play. I will say that it has a very specific style, with melodramatic dialogue, and a lot of broad physical and slapstick humor. Noda also plays with the concept of time, where sometimes moments are slowed down and sometimes you’re not quite sure how much time has passed.

The set (Yukio Horio) plays an important role as the house, through a series of increasingly absurd events, slowly deteriorates along with the family. The costumes (Kodue Hibino) are also interesting. Pickle wears more modern clothes in stark contrast to the kimono worn by her parents, suggesting she is aching to break free from traditional molds.

What makes One Green Bottle work so well is that it’s not all ruthless backstabbing. Yes, it’s a lot of fun watching this dysfunctional family unravel. But at their most vulnerable moments of desperation is when some honest moments emerge, and real tenderness can be felt.

One Green Bottle is playing through March 8, 2020 at The Ellen Stewart Theatre, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club.

APOLLON makes for a unique night of theater

February 26, 2020 / Tami Shaloum

Xana Novais, Annina Lara Maria Machaz, Florentina Holzinger, Evelyn Frantti, Renée Copraij, Maria Netti Nüganen
Photo by Radovan Dranga

There’s theater that entertains and theater that strikes a chord deep in your body, a sort of theater of the body. The dance-based performance art piece Apollon, created in collaboration with Belgian arts center CAMPO, is definitely the latter. While it offers little in the way of enjoyment, Apollon does make you feel something visceral, and I imagine choreographer Florentina Holzinger would prefer her piece to spark discussion over being something that someone describes as beautiful.

Apollon consists of a series of stitched together tableaux, like a random stream of images that, at times, feels like a relentless assault on the senses. There appears to be no context for the trajectory of the piece, no clear narrative, and little to offer up a distinct message. Some of the imagery is disturbing (there are signs at the theater that warn of violence), some is downright disgusting (this is not a show for the squeamish), and some of the sounds accompanied by the images are amplified to feel quite nightmarish. The six female performers (Renée Copraij, Evelyn Frantti, Holzinger, Annina Lara Maria Machaz, Xana Novais, and Maria Netti Nüganen) are stark naked throughout and reveal a lot more than just breasts in the course of the performance. There is a lot of uncomfortable and intense physicality on display.

Florentina Holzinger, Evelyn Frantti (center), Maria Netti Nüganen
Photo by Radovan Dranga

That all said, there is a lot of humor in Apollon. Dark and perverse humor for sure, but there are some laugh-out-loud moments when you can’t help but chuckle through the discomfort. What I also like is the commentary on women’s bodies as being on display for entertainment, as though we are watching a sideshow. Indeed, Holzinger drew inspiration for the piece from freak shows of the turn of the 19th century, juxtaposing low art with high art. Case in point: A dancer performing a delicate ballet pauses to fart loudly. The idea of women’s bodies as delicate and beautiful, and here to exist for your pleasure, is definitely flipped on its head.

Let’s be clear, Apollon is certainly not for everybody. But it is different and interesting, and that’s valid. Also, kudos to NYU Skirball for continually taking risks and showcasing innovative theater from all over the world. I have seen a lot of shows here that have opened my mind and shown me so many possibilities of what theater can do, Apollon included. It’s just not exactly my cup of tea.

COOKING WITH KATHRYN at the FRIGID Festival

February 23, 2020 / Tami Shaloum

Kate Owens in Cooking With Kathryn
Photo by Sokvonny Chhouk

Never has a cooking demonstration gone so off-course. Cooking with Kathryn, an interactive, mostly solo comedic performance by Kate Owens, is indeed a cooking show, except the cook shows up wasted and does not bring any appropriate cooking tools. Directed by Deby Xiadani (who also co-wrote the show with Owens), Cooking with Kathryn is also a birthday party. We’re there ostensibly to celebrate the host’s birthday in the pink-decorated basement of St. Ann’s Church. However, after a few too many drinks, it becomes something so much more.

Kathryn is an adorably awkward, boozy southern belle, the kind of person you just want to say “Oh honey” to in a slightly pitying, slightly exasperated tone at almost everything she does. Case in point: Her demonstration of how to make a margarita is so hilariously off the mark (hint: it involves vodka, a banana, and bacon bits), but you have to laugh because she is so committed to it that you feel like it must be good.

Most of all, Kathryn is a loveable hot mess whose idea of a mimosa is emptying a bottle of whiskey (aka “mimosa mix”) into a cup with a splash of La Croix (aka “La Crocs”). Her ridiculousness is demonstrated best by a clownish attempt to put on makeup, applying way too much blush and misapplying eyeliner while trying to make a cat eye. Evidently, it gets real hard to put on your face when you’re plastered.

The show takes a turn when Kathryn invites a “friend” from the audience–her crush Jeremy (played by a random audience member)–onto the stage to help her open up birthday presents. Soon enough, more audience members get coaxed onstage to allow the zany story to play out.

Owens has created a pretty kooky character who is a jumble of contradictions: as sweet as she is judgemental, as conservative as she is flirty. A devout Christian who has no problem getting drunk in a church basement in front of her priest. There’s a complete lack of self-awareness that is often the key to making these types of characters so funny. You want to like her but you can’t stop cringing.

Cooking with Kathryn runs through March 8 at The Kraine Theater as part of the FRIGID Festival.

The Jazz Bastards play for laughs

February 3, 2020 / Tami Shaloum

Sitting down at East Village Italian-Mediterranean restaurant Pangea to watch The Jazz Bastards perform, I wasn’t sure what to expect. This sextet of jazz musicians bills itself as clowns of the vaudevillian variety. Would there be more clowning than music and my ears under threat of assault? The cabaret room in the back of the restaurant looked promising enough. It had the standard cramped tables, the $20 minimum, the single flickering candle on each table. Another thought entered my mind: Would this just be a standard jazz performance with only the mere smattering of gags? Would there be enough clowning to satisfy my circus-loving proclivities?

I needn’t have worried–the ratio of music to clown was perfect. This cheeky ensemble plays a delightful mixture of jazz standards and original compositions, all while yukking it up as their comedic alter egos. Performed with a dry, quirky wit, the humor can be subtle…until it’s not and they go all out for broad laughs. Led by the fedora-clad, cigarette-wielding Aldo Perez aka Mr. Nobody on guitar and vocals, The Jazz Bastards stealthily interject their funny bits before, during, and after each song, all without missing a beat (unless intentional, of course).

Glen Heroy aka Mr. Christmas lends his smooth vocals (and spoons) to such classics as “Fly Me to the Moon.” He and vocalist-clarinetist-tap dancer Jenny Lee Mitchell aka Muffy Styler duet on “That Old Black Magic” and they really ham it up as a feuding couple, each trying to elbow the other out of the way. Muffy’s old school New York, platinum blond, boozy floozy act is really fun and bursts out in random moments throughout the show. To top it all off, her scat singing game is on point.

Matt Kanelos aka Wang Catalano is on keytar and vocals (most notably in “How High the Moon”). Donning huge boxy sunglasses and a killer deadpan, Wang occasionally invokes a robotic voice from the keys to hilariously comment on whatever happens to be going on. Indeed, some truly strange sounds come out of that keytar, including electronic scatting, featured during the group’s awesome rendition of Miles Davis’ “Four.”

Nick Parker as Buddy Poor is a drummer who wears a neck brace and arm sling. That sight gag on its own is pretty great, but his drumming turns out to be equally so. Rounding out the ensemble is Richard Philbin as Riccardo Hurtz on bass clarinet. Wearing cool shades, Buddy is the only one who doesn’t speak or sing at all during the act.

If you don’t like jazz, you might actually like The Jazz Bastards for their theatrics. If you’re more in the mood for a straight jazz show, this might also appeal to you as they play some really solid music that’s good just on its own. So if you’re not into comedy (what’s wrong with you?!), just close your eyes and ignore everything but the music.

The Jazz Bastards have a monthly residency at Pangea, playing the last Friday of every month through June 26, 2020.

Explore the Village with UP CLOSE FESTIVAL

January 2, 2020 / Tami Shaloum

Marisol Rosa-Shapiro as The Pizza Rat and Brit Lenae Gossett
Photo by Hyphen Photography

Now that winter is upon us, it can be a struggle for parents to find fun things to do with the kids indoors. With the immersive and interactive Up Close Festival, you and your kids can learn about the history of Greenwich Village from the comfort of a heated theater. Presented by New Ohio Theatre’s Theatre for Young Minds, Up Close Festival features work by a variety of artists, including Spellbound Theatre Company and Perfect City. Produced and Co-Directed by Peter Musante and Sara Morgulis, Up Close is a delightful celebration of the art of play and discovery.

Inspired by Jane Jacobs, the activist who advocated for a better sense of community in urban areas, Up Close takes audiences on a tour of Greenwich Village. Our host for the journey is Pizza Rat (Marisol Rosa-Shapiro), a tough-talking rodent who serves as guide to a few famous sites both past and present. First, we visit the garden at St. Luke’s in the Fields, a sanctuary for both birds and plantlife. Using shadow puppets, the artists track the history of this spot going back to 1609, when the Lenape people lived here. This project is led by Spellbound’s Lauren Sharpe and is co-created with Asha John, Robert Thaxton-Stevenson, and Ben Weber.

Ben Weber, Lauren Sharpe, and Asha John in Spellbound Theatre’s SANCTUARY/GARDEN
*Photo by Hyphen Photography*

Next we turn to 219 Thompson Street, the site of Chess Forum, a chess store that opened in 1995 and that ignited a rivalry between the already existing Village Chess Shop across the street. Experimental artists Marisa Blankier and Christopher-Rashee Stevenson tell this story, along with Perfect City members Tyler Diaz, Jahmorei Snipes, and Tiffany Zorrilla, using a giant chess board and human (children) pieces.

A scene from 219 THOMPSON ST.
*Photo by Hyphen Photography*

Finally, we visit the fictional Society of Historic Sonic Happenings (SHSH) at the former site of Bell Laboratories. Created by Adrienne Kapstein, this was my favorite stop on the tour. The “scientists” (Rachel Confrancisco, Brit Gossett, Alec Kirazian, LaToya Lewis, and Akash Seeramreddi) have captured different soundscapes of the city whose frequencies they claim still live in the sidewalks and walls of the Village. The scientists preserve them in jars and you can actually hear some of the sounds that the labels describe (sound design by Bhurin Sead). These include construction noises, pigeons cooing, and children playing. Then the audience is split into smaller groups for the children to capture their own sounds with the help of a different scientist.

Brit Lenae Gossett, Alec Kirazian, Akash Seeramreddi, LaToya Lewis, and Rachel Confrancisco as scientists of the Society of the Historic Sonic Happenings (SHSH)
*Photo by Hyphen Photography*

Throughout the experience, we are encouraged to draw, play, and use our imaginations. Scattered throughout the space are different types of games that are available to use: Simon, giant Uno, chess (of course), even a classic Nintendo!

The best part of Up Close Festival, aside from giving kids (and adults!) the chance to explore and play in the name of culture, is that some of the places we explore are still here and within walking distance of the theater – so you can learn about it and then go visit! It makes for a great hands-on educational theater experience.

Up Close Festival is running through January 4, 2020 at New Ohio Theatre.

A COCKTAIL PARTY SOCIAL EXPERIMENT

December 23, 2019 / Tami Shaloum

Have you ever wanted to watch a group of strangers get to know each other through a series of personal questions over drinks? Probably not, I’d wager. Yet, this is the premise of A Cocktail Party Social Experiment, and it’s delightful. Created by Wil Petre, A Cocktail Party Social Experiment is where immersive theater and a game night come together in an interesting blend of storytelling and voyeurism.

Eight audience members are randomly selected from pieces of paper in a bowl – you can choose to put your name in or simply watch. Sitting on stage with a complimentary drink in hand, participants select a card from two separate decks. One deck contains cards with a simple image (e.g., an eye, a tree, a building) and the other deck has different alchemy symbols (e.g., copper, gold, sulfur). Together, the images correspond to a grid inside a book that, like a timetable, you read to determine which question gets asked.

Petre, as host, then posits the question to the first participant, who has five minutes to answer the question however they want. The other participants may ask follow-up questions, but the idea is to let the speaker tell their story. Then that person picks the next person, asks the question corresponding to the cards selected, and so on. Essentially, you’re watching eight mini conversations unfold.

I should note that Petre’s ultimate goal is to sell the game to people who would, presumably, play it with their own friends (or strangers, perhaps). But don’t worry, he doesn’t do a hard sell, and it’s easy to see this being a hit at any game night. It’s certainly at least a great ice breaker.

A question I found myself repeatedly wondering (at the same time as I was enjoying the event as a piece of entertainment): Is this theater, or just a fun party game? Certainly with an audience watching, there is a performative aspect. The participants are on a stage, answering questions about themselves and their experiences. Nothing is rehearsed ahead of time because they don’t know what is going to be asked. If anything, it’s like a hybrid of improv and storytelling.

Whether it’s theater or not, I believe this experience is primarily for those who are interested in other people and their stories. You’re learning about people, who are very likely from different backgrounds, and what makes them tick. I find that fascinating. If you do too, you’ll probably enjoy A Cocktail Party Social Experiment. The free drink certainly doesn’t hurt.

The next two dates for A Cocktail Party Social Experiment are scheduled for January 20 and February 17 at Chelsea Music Hall.

Interview with magician Albert Cadabra

December 19, 2019 / Tami Shaloum

Magician Albert Cadabra can regularly be seen at cabaret and burlesque venues all around New York City. Now he is starring in Company XIV’s Nutcracker Rouge as the narrator/emcee. He keeps the show rolling and the audience on their toes with his particular style of offbeat magic. Round the World Stage recently got the chance to speak with Mr. Cadabra where he talks about how he got involved with this project, what types of tricks audiences can expect to see, and where else you can catch his act.

How did you get involved with Company XIV and this production of Nutcracker Rouge?

[Director] Austin [McCormick] reached out to me saying he wanted to add a new element to Nutcracker Rouge and thought my brand of magic and sideshow stunts would fit in perfectly. We had a quick meeting and I tossed around some ideas to him and the next day I was signed to the show.

Did you have any personal connection to the story of The Nutcracker before this?

Before this I really haven’t had any connection to The Nutcracker…oh wait, except back in like 2011 I did some magic in Nutcracker Rated R put on by The Love Show. [Laughs] So yeah, but not in the traditional sense.

For people who have seen you perform in other venues, there are some tricks that may be recognizable, albeit with a slight twist. How did you approach this role as opposed to your regular magic act?

Well, for this role I am doing 15 different costume changes and trying to do (even if just a slight variation) 15 different characters. Like, old school vaudeville for the banana look, weird comedy magic for the bubble gum look, twisted circus sideshow with my electric act, and dark BDSM vibe with my suspended straitjacket escape. And then there are outfits without acts where I’m just introducing, such as Absinthe and even our intermission (where I’m trying to do my best Ed Wynn voice).

There’s not much dialogue in “Nutcracker Rouge” but pretty much every line is spoken by you. How much of the dialogue did you contribute? Was any of it improvised?

The entire thing was scripted and I improvise very little here and there. The only thing I changed was taking out any mention of “Ladies and Gentlemen” which popped up throughout the script. I wanted to be all inclusive, as I try to be in all my shows and performances. So instead I say “my friends.”

You do a lot of incredible things in this show, from balloon swallowing to escape acts. What is your favorite trick to perform in this show?

I love them all equally really because I’ve spent a lot of time with each act honing and molding each to be my own unique take on them all. Right before each act I’m about to do I’m just as excited as I was for the act I did right before it. But, that being said, I really love zapping the audience by touching them during my electric act. Every so often people are afraid to touch my electrified body but that’s pretty rare. Steve Buscemi was there the other night in the front row and I got to zap him. He then stuck around after the show to tell me he loved that he was one of the people to get zapped by me.

Any upcoming projects or shows you want to plug?

I do a magic circus sideshow called Sideshow Soireé at Duane Park, a live music and burlesque venue. You can always catch me there. Also, the Slipper Room, the Box and the Laurie Beechman Theater are my other regular performance spots. People can check the calendar on my website www.albertcadabra.com or simply follow my Instagram @albertcadabra as I post my shows there as well.

Company XIV’s NUTCRACKER ROUGE

December 18, 2019 / Tami Shaloum

The cast of **Nutcracker Rouge**
Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

Those looking for the traditional Tchaikovsky-Balanchine Nutcracker will probably want to head over to Lincoln Center. But if you want your Nutcracker with a side of champagne, pasties, and glitter, take a trip to Bushwick for Company XIV’s baroque burlesque ballet Nutcracker Rouge. Now in its 8th iteration, this gorgeous production, loosely based on E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” changes each year to include a variety of acts. In addition to the incredible dancers and amazing singers (Cristina Raé and LEXXE) that are consistent with every XIV show, there are stunning aerialists (Marcy Richardson, Nolan McKew, and Troy Lingelbach), sexy striptease (LILIN), and riveting circus acts (Ashley Dragon on Cyr Wheel). This year Albert Cadabra, the New York City-based magician seen in burlesque and side shows all around town, graces the Company XIV stage as emcee.

Marcy “Operagaga” Richardson
Photo by Deneka Peniston

Much like the traditional ballet, Nutcracker Rouge consists of a series of vignettes and dance pieces centered around a young girl’s discovery of a magical kingdom full of sweets, fairies, and handsome princes. In this version, the eye candy does not disappoint. While a lot of the choreography (Austin McCormick) is set to the original Tchaikovsky music, including the rousing Sugar Plum Pas de Deux between the young girl (Christine Flores) and her prince (Nicholas Katen), there are also dances set to jazz (Duke Ellington’s “Sugar Rum Cherry”), rock (Oasis’s “Champagne Supernova”), and pop music (Nancy Sinatra’s “Sugar Town”).

Christine Flores and Nicholas Katen
Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

Albert Cadabra serves as a sort of narrator to the proceedings. He mixes his own magic acts – balloon swallowing, an escape act where he is suspended upside down in a straitjacket – in between the dances and other performances. He brings a certain wry humor and sideshow flair to the production, making it feel more like a variety show than a dance performance.

Albert Cadabra, Christine Flores, Ben Green, Nicholas Katen
Photo by Mark Shelby Perry

But of course, one goes to a Company XIV show not solely for what is appearing on stage. The experience of walking into Company XIV’s lavish theatre in Brooklyn always feels immersive. It’s carefully curated to bathe your senses in a certain hedonistic aesthetic, from the lighting (Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew), the scents, and the absinthe, to the sumptuous set design and costumes (Zane Pihlstrom). You feel as though you are transported to another time and place, a mix between Louis XIV’s court and a Paris cabaret. Smoke machines give it a dream-like quality, and sipping on some bubbles certainly helps!

So, if you want to celebrate your adult holiday season right, with men in heels and corsets, and women in next to nothing, you’ll want to check out Nutcracker Rouge. Fair warning though: you might get on Santa’s “naughty” list.

Nutcracker Rouge is running through January 26, 2020 at Company XIV’s Théâtre XIV.

Re-telling ORPHEUS & EURYDICE with music and spoken word

December 15, 2019 / Tami Shaloum

Alexander Wright, Serena Manteghi, Casey Jay Andrews, and Phil Grainger

Eurydice and Orpheus meet in a karaoke bar as the rousing chorus of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” plays. It’s love at first sight. The audience sings along to the refrain: “You can’t start a fire/Can’t start a fire without a spark…”

A modern reimagining of the classic Greek myth, Orpheus & Eurydice masterfully blends two pieces by a couple of UK-based theatre companies–Orpheus by The Flanagan Collective and its sister play, Eurydice, by Gobbledigook Theatre. Performed by Serena Manteghi, Casey Jay Andrews, Alexander Wright, and Phil Grainger, this gorgeous piece of storytelling is part of SoHo Playhouse’s Fringe Encore Series.

The first half of Orpheus & Eurydice delves into the lovers’ backstories. Before they meet, Eurydice, re-named Leni in the modern version, is married to the beekeeper Aristaeus. Orpheus, who is called Dave, is celebrating his birthday with friends. When her marriage to Ari ends, a heartbroken Leni walks the streets and passes the pub where Dave is singing karaoke.

The second half more or less reflects the ancient story of Orpheus and Eurydice. The short-lived romance, the fatal bite (here a bee sting) that takes Eurydice down to Hades, the daring attempt by Orpheus to reclaim his love from the underworld, the promise that he would not look back.

With details to make the two characters more fleshed out, Orpheus & Eurydice is romantic without being sappy, earnest without being sentimental, modern without sacrificing the classical sensibility. Most excitingly, the show positions Eurydice as the heroine of her own story, instead of a passive figure tragically bitten and reduced to a shadow in the underworld.

But it’s not the details of the story that make this show so magical. The performers don’t portray the characters so much as they serve as guides who narrate the story with moving spoken word and soulful original music (with the exception, of course, of “Dancing in the Dark”). This format, along with the simplicity of the staging and the costumes, proves that you don’t need flashy sets, props, or a big sound to create great art. The performers move around the room, equipped only with their instruments (string, voice, and electronic), in a way that dispels any stagnation. The informal way they speak to the audience–mixing among us before, during, and after the show–gives the show an intimate feel, like you’re sitting in a loft watching friends perform.

There is no shortage of adaptations of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice and many different ways its been told, including in musical form (see Hadestown) and from Eurydice’s point-of-view (see Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice). However, any version with a Springsteen sing-along wins in my book.

Orpheus & Eurydice is playing through December 22, 2019 at SoHo Playhouse‘s brand new space, SoHo Loft.

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