Poetry in motion, the performance of Metamorphoses on Friday, October 26, 2007, in the Colwell Playhouse at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts was a captivating performance that engaged and delighted a rather meager audience. The play was staged by the University of Illinois’ Department of Theatre and directed by Rene Moreno. The actors were heart-breaking and hilarious, the set design was an intriguing juxtaposition of ancient and contemporary motifs, and the overall performance reached out to the modern audience, pulling them into the ancient Greek myths with themes that are still applicable to our daily lives.
Playwright Mary Zimmerman transformed Ovid’s 1st-century epic poem Metamorphoses, which describes the transformations of gods and mortals from Greek and Roman mythology, into an hour and a half play consisting of nine episodes that combine both comedy and tragedy, reflecting the natural variation of life. Her adaptation of the poem captures the essence of the ancient myths through a modern, minimalist style. Zimmerman’s compilation evokes the “celebration of love and life, creation, and spiritual transformation” and concentrates on “transformation in relation to the power of love,” according to the play bill. These transformations reflect the characters’ internal and external metamorphoses in times of tribulation and when seeking to fulfill their desires. The theme uniting the nine episodes is the “preciousness of life,” which hits home in the last scene when all the characters come together on stage to celebrate the restoration of Midas and his daughter. Overall, the play successfully reaches across time and connects these ancient myths to our contemporary lives.
The performance of the University of Illinois’ Department of Theatre was versatile and moving. Anthony Bianco in particular charmed the audience with his interpretation of King Midas as a greedy businessman who doesn’t appreciate the preciousness of his daughter, who symbolizes family and life, until it is too late. After receiving his “gift” from Baucus, the ability to turn what ever he touches to gold, he accidentally transforms his daughter into cold metal as she leaps into his arms. The actress playing his daughter, a seemingly simple and almost silent role, turns her bit part into a shockingly memorable role. Flying into her father’s arms, she immediately freezes in a longing embrace and appears chillingly solid and immovable.
Next, the set was unique and intriguing, and the actors utilized there surroundings effectively to move the story and create the mood of each scene. The focal point of the set design was the square pool in the center of the stage, where most of the action takes place. For example, one character was drowned at sea and fought other actors in the water to convey his battle with the waves. In a more comedic scene, Philemon retells his experience of reuniting with his father, the sun god Apollo, while floating on a hot-green floatation device, evoking his youth and playfulness while also evoking the contemporary audience’s picture of innocent yet petulant youth.
The set and costumes also juxtaposed the ancient and contemporary to bridge the gap of time. The ancient designs of the costumes coincide with the video screen backdrop, which added modern media to the ancient world. This juxtaposition allowed the audience to get a feel for life and religious beliefs in ancient times while also connecting it to the modern world.
Overall, the performance was intriguing and showed a modern audience that they have connections with these ancient characters and stories that span time. A warning to parents: There is male nudity and other adult content that may not be appropriate for young children. However, Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses is definitely a must-see for mythology-buffs and those who seek connection to the timeless themes that unite and bind humanity.
Lauren Mietelski
English, Secondary Education
Callboard Director
Picture courtesy of www.images.google.com
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