Mary Zimmerman‘s Metamorphoses opened Saturday May 14 at the A Noise Within stage in Pasadena. This production is directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. The original Metamorphoses, written by Roman poet Ovid, dates back to the year 8 AD. The poem has inspired countless of influential figures such as Boccaccio, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Cervantes to name a few.
The moment you step into the theatre, you can sense the lavish production you are about to experience. The stage, the pool, and the lighting set the mood for this epic story. For such a literary work and relevant production, Dr. Miranda Johnson-Haddad consulted as a dramaturg.
The play starts with the concept of Cosmogony, presenting Zeus, Woman by the Water, and Scientist, all of them describing the beginning of humans and the chaos of the universe. What follows is a series of Greek myths, but with a contemporaneity that feels fresh. The story captures the various passages of the human experience, represented by deities and humans alike. Special attention is stressed on the metamorphoses, or transformations, of the characters involved.
In a way, the play presents the idea that no matter what time in history they live in, humans have always had the same ambitions, feelings, passions, and desires. As the concept of eternal life is introduced by Silenus, Midas also embodies a duality seen in many humans, in this case, greed but also the unconditional love of a father for his daughter. After his wish of turning everything he touches into gold is granted by Bacchus, Midas accidentally touches his own daughter, turning her into a statue of gold. Bacchus then tells him that the only way to reverse his action is to find a mystic pool far away that will restore his daughter back to normal. Midas is willing to give up his possessions and start his journey in search of the mystic pool.
A constant in human life is the search for love, characterized by the vignette of Vertumnus and Pomona. As Vertumnus tries unsuccessfully to get Pomona’s attention, he disguises in different costumes to avoid showing himself. In one of his attempts, he tells Pomona the story of Mirrha, who punished by Aphrodite, is cursed with falling in love with her own father, King Cyniras. Overwhelmed by her lust, Mirrha devises a plan to consummate her forbidden passion. The climax of this story within a story, framed by dramatic lighting, sound, water, and excellent acting, creates one of the most intense scenes of the play.
A touching story in the play is when a poor couple, Baucis and Philemon, receive Zeus and Hermes in heir humble house with a feast. As a result, they are granted a wish. Baucis and Philemon only ask for one thing: To die together to avoid the pain of mourning each other. Unconditional, endless love, a continuum in history, poetically portrayed in Metamorphoses.
Many other characters and scenarios are depicted, all showing the dedication of the creative team behind this production. Director Julia Rodriguez Elliott re-creates fantastic worlds such as oceans, rivers, the underworld, voyages, and journeys. She is able to convey the idea that humans’ yearnings, behaviors, and experiences haven’t changed much since the beginning of time. That’s one of the reasons why the audience connects so well with this play, the characters are a reflection of ourselves, one way or another.
As for the actors, the play is a physical demanding production, working around water has many challenges, walking around slippery surfaces without loosing concentration, shits of water temperature over the course of the play, etc., but the cast delivers powerful performances, touching the audience’s fibers with drama, tragedy, and humor. The lighting (Ken Booth, Lighting Designer) became a character on its own, wrapping the actors in stunning hues of reds, blues, greens, and yellows, and combined with water (Françoise-Pierre Couture, Scenic Design) and sound effects (Robert Oriol, Sound Design), created memorable artistic images, perfect for such an epic play.
Metamorphoses
A Noise Within
3352 E Foothill Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
Written by Mary Zimmerman
Based on the myths of Ovid, from the translation by David R. Slavit
Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott
Starring DeJuan Christopher, Geoff Elliott, Rafael Goldstein, Nicole Javier, Kasey Mahaffy, Sydney A. Mason, Trisha Miller, Cassandra Marie Murphy, Erika Soto
Presented by A Noise Within, Geoff Elliot and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, producing artistic directors
Performances May 14–June 5:
Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.: May 11 ONLY (Preview)*
Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.: May 12 (Preview), May 26, June 2 (dark May 19)
Fridays at 8 p.m.: May 13 (Preview), May 20**, May 27**, June 3**
Saturdays at 2 p.m.: May 21, May 28; June 4
Saturdays at 8 p.m.: May 14 (Opening Night), May 21, May 28; June 4
Sundays at 2 p.m.: May 8 (Preview), May 15, May 22**, May 29; June 5
*Pre-performance symposium with noted scholar at 6:45 p.m. on May 11 (included in ticket price)
**Post-performance conversations with the artists on May 20, May 22, May 27, June 3 (included in ticket price)
In addition, there will be six student matinees at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 11; Tuesday, May 17; Wednesday, May 18; Thursday, May 19, Tuesday, May 24 and Wednesday, May 25. Interested educators should email education@anoisewithin.org.
For tickets: https://www.anoisewithin.org/play/metamorphoses/
