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| (Flyer from Synetic's website) |
So we’re switching things up this time: I’ll review the Arts since the “stage” part of the blog is actually on stage. But I won’t go that far… my forever-hungry stomach was well engaged when I went to see Synetic’s King Arthur. It was a feast of kings!
Location:
Tucked in the middle of Crystal City buildings but very close to the metro station. The venue is more fancy than low-key, and not necessarily charming. But home is home so congrats to the theatre company (led by Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili) for finally finding a permanent venue for their shows!
Seating:
This show uses a “water stage”. The “splash zone” (first two rows for some, apparently first five for others) has been the Talk of the Town. So when you go buy your tickets ask yourself the same questions you do when you go out and dine: do I want a seat in the back and enjoy my meal quietly? Or do I want the exciting spot next to the open kitchen? It all depends on what you’re in the mood for; to be or not to be… splashed.
Starters:
Water is one of the main ingredients in this show. Some might presume that this causes the production to be gimmicky or a monotonous series of splish and splash, but don’t be fooled. The use of water is so creative and dynamic and you come to realize this right at the beginning: Merlin (Alex Mills) walks on stage creating ripples in the lake that are beautifully reflected on the background; a few minutes later, Morgan le Fay (Jodi Niehoff) emerges from that same lake causing a strong splash that disturbs the serenity of the scene.
Entrée #1:
Consistently strong, with a couple of traditional fighting scenes expected from an epic like King Arthur. What impressed me the most however was the cleaver use of lighting and “non-lighting”. Light and darkness, as water, are prominent parts of this production. They are put into great use in a scene where Uther magically morphs into king Cornwall as he sneaks into the castle to sleep with queen Ingraine.
Palate Cleanser:
The dancing sequences are refreshing after all the fighting and drama. The first was served on the Round Table when Arthur (Ben Cunis) is enshrined as king. The guys proved that they are not only good at the fight scenes but also excel at dance during this folklore-esque piece.
The second followed soon as Arthur and Guinevere (Brynn Tucker) celebrate their marriage. This seemed to be a favorite scene for many, including the actors themselves. The brilliant Celtic-Modern fusion music that infuses the ambient is most apparent here.
Entrée #2:
More fighting and drama. You also start to see the creative versatility of the set: a scene which introduces Lancelot (Vato Tsikurishvili) uses the “rocks” on stage as a bridge; before that, they were the Round Table; and later on, they will be turned into a mountain. Another showcase of creativity is in the “ménage a trios” scene between Arthur, Morgan, and Guinevere. Like a great complex dish, this scene plays with your senses as the three stand apart performing a series of well coordinated movements. Flavors then smoothly blend into one another; love and sensuality becomes hate and anger as Morgan rapes Arthur towards the end of the scene.
Dessert:
After this amazing feast of senses you are left looking forward to dessert. Unfortunately, there is no grand finale. However the lack of a powerful final impact is compensated by an elegant artistic touch. The final scene mirrors the first scene when Merlin appears with the Excalibur. This time around, the wizard disappears in darkness as the legendary sword returns back to the water, creating a full circle that marks the end of the show.
Final Comments:
King Arthur is as fantastic as previous shows that I’ve seen by Synetic. Although the “water stage” is a new concept to the company, they manage to make it work so well and so artistically that it doesn’t detract from the group’s amazing performance. If you are not yet convinced, I’ll leave you with this amazing trailer.
Location:
Tucked in the middle of Crystal City buildings but very close to the metro station. The venue is more fancy than low-key, and not necessarily charming. But home is home so congrats to the theatre company (led by Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili) for finally finding a permanent venue for their shows!
Seating:
This show uses a “water stage”. The “splash zone” (first two rows for some, apparently first five for others) has been the Talk of the Town. So when you go buy your tickets ask yourself the same questions you do when you go out and dine: do I want a seat in the back and enjoy my meal quietly? Or do I want the exciting spot next to the open kitchen? It all depends on what you’re in the mood for; to be or not to be… splashed.
Starters:
Water is one of the main ingredients in this show. Some might presume that this causes the production to be gimmicky or a monotonous series of splish and splash, but don’t be fooled. The use of water is so creative and dynamic and you come to realize this right at the beginning: Merlin (Alex Mills) walks on stage creating ripples in the lake that are beautifully reflected on the background; a few minutes later, Morgan le Fay (Jodi Niehoff) emerges from that same lake causing a strong splash that disturbs the serenity of the scene.
Entrée #1:
Consistently strong, with a couple of traditional fighting scenes expected from an epic like King Arthur. What impressed me the most however was the cleaver use of lighting and “non-lighting”. Light and darkness, as water, are prominent parts of this production. They are put into great use in a scene where Uther magically morphs into king Cornwall as he sneaks into the castle to sleep with queen Ingraine.
Palate Cleanser:
The dancing sequences are refreshing after all the fighting and drama. The first was served on the Round Table when Arthur (Ben Cunis) is enshrined as king. The guys proved that they are not only good at the fight scenes but also excel at dance during this folklore-esque piece.
The second followed soon as Arthur and Guinevere (Brynn Tucker) celebrate their marriage. This seemed to be a favorite scene for many, including the actors themselves. The brilliant Celtic-Modern fusion music that infuses the ambient is most apparent here.
Entrée #2:
More fighting and drama. You also start to see the creative versatility of the set: a scene which introduces Lancelot (Vato Tsikurishvili) uses the “rocks” on stage as a bridge; before that, they were the Round Table; and later on, they will be turned into a mountain. Another showcase of creativity is in the “ménage a trios” scene between Arthur, Morgan, and Guinevere. Like a great complex dish, this scene plays with your senses as the three stand apart performing a series of well coordinated movements. Flavors then smoothly blend into one another; love and sensuality becomes hate and anger as Morgan rapes Arthur towards the end of the scene.
Dessert:
After this amazing feast of senses you are left looking forward to dessert. Unfortunately, there is no grand finale. However the lack of a powerful final impact is compensated by an elegant artistic touch. The final scene mirrors the first scene when Merlin appears with the Excalibur. This time around, the wizard disappears in darkness as the legendary sword returns back to the water, creating a full circle that marks the end of the show.
Final Comments:
King Arthur is as fantastic as previous shows that I’ve seen by Synetic. Although the “water stage” is a new concept to the company, they manage to make it work so well and so artistically that it doesn’t detract from the group’s amazing performance. If you are not yet convinced, I’ll leave you with this amazing trailer.
