Review
Beowulf
Irish Repertory Theater
October 29, 2005
VanLoan
vanloan@nyconstage.org
The phrase 'smoke and mirrors' takes on a rather particular meaning in Charlotte Moore's staging of Pickett and Turner's Beowulf. This musical adaptation of the 6th.-century Old English epic is full of fiery dragons, clashing swords, ravaging monsters, dangerous sea voyages and lots of smoke. What really happens though is that the poem's narrative seems to get lost. Beowulf is essentially the story of a son's filial duty in repaying his father's debts. He must endure various tests including battling the monster Grendel and his demonic mother which become his rites of passage into manhood.
Lenny Pickett's music and lyrics have a healthy macho quality (additional lyrics by Lindsey Turner) and are lustily rendered by the beef-cake cast of seven. Yet the rock-opera quality of the piece seems at odds with Turner's minimalist adaptation. Moore does her best to disguise this fact with atmospheric lighting, fantastic puppetry (production designer Akira Yoshimura deserves ample accolades for his work) and swift pacing. However many virtues the production has it still seems "lost at sea".
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