A Mindful Metamorphoses

The Guthrie's modern take on Roman mythology will leave you with lots to ponder. 

Photo by Dan Norman

In a world of ever-shrinking budgets for the humanities, sometimes it's good to get back to the basics. People aged 30 and older likely had at least minor engagement with Roman mythology at some point in their education, but I'm willing to bet the Millennial-on-down era probably has less-to-none.

Photo by Dan Norman

If that's the case, the Guthrie Theater's modern take on Ovid's Metamorphoses provides a great opportunity to brush up on your ancient mythology. In strikingly modern incantations, the show flashes through vignettes of each story almost like a photographic flash, leaving visual imprints that bring the dusty tales to life. Many of the most famous stories are here, such as the heartbreaking end to Orpheus and Eurydice, Phaëton's daring chariot ride, King Midas' tragic golden touch, and even a quick, totally silent flash of Narcissus. It's a fresh way to reinvent the stories for an audience with much shorter attention spans than those of 8 A.D. (when the original text was composed), providing new entry points into the myths.

Photo by Dan Norman

All roles are shared in a rotating manner by the cast. Rodney Gardiner has fewer lines than other actors, but provides standout, striking cameos (including that silent moment as Narcissus). Sango Tajima likewise has fewer speaking roles than some other cast members but provides a powerful, deeply physical performance that will rock you to your core. Felicity Jones Latta brings great gravitas to her part, with a cinematic voice and the nuanced delivery of a Cate Blanchett. Louise Lamson gives an especially emotional performance as Alcyone, telling the origin of seabirds. Benjamin T. Ismail lends a livelier presence on-stage, and Alex Moggridge is a romantic comedy charmer in several of his roles.

Photo by Dan Norman

The real main character of this play isn't really a character at all: the entire show takes place around a giant, deep pool of water which is deftly manipulated by the actors to transform the narrative. It's the element that attracted me to this show in the first place, and it was really interesting to see how emotional the use of the water could be: terrified splashing, flirty droplets, passionate waves, placid slow ripples. The actors are clearly unafraid of getting doused, and the more I've reflected on Daniel Ostling's meditative scenic design, the more I really enjoy it. T.J. Gerkens and Andre Pluess pair their lighting and sound design, respectively, to make sure that additional context is provided through the minimal sets and props. Mara Blumenfeld cleverly finds simple but elegant ways to pay homage to each character and allow for quick transitions between them, be they intricate headdresses or flowing robes (or, in one case, no robes at all - be warned of full frontal male nudity, if that's not your jam).

Photo by Dan Norman

It's pretty clear to me that Director Mary Zimmerman (who is also the adapter of this play) had a very defined vision for which mythologies she wanted to tell and how. It's very interesting to see the ancient world through her thoroughly modern eyes, like bringing a Helenic statue to life in the middle of the Walker Art Museum. Much of the content of these stories does not age well - incest, violence and vengeance is rife throughout most of them - but there is a certain amount of undeniable humanity and eventual beauty to be found through their devastation by the end. I imagine it's one of the reasons Zimmerman wanted to adapt this in the first place, and I would be interested to hear a panel of responses from audience members of very different ages and walks of life about their reactions to this staging. This is the kind of play that you will receive very differently depending on your life circumstances, making this ancient text a breathing, engage-able object that is much more complex than its seemingly simple packaging would indicate. It's a thoughtful presentation and one that modern art lovers are likely to find visually stunning. I do think it helps to be previously familiar with this content before you attend, so consider brushing up on the Wikipedia overview at the least before going. Click here for more information and to get tickets before Metamorphoses closes on May 19.

Photo by Dan Norman