Theater Review by Marcina Zaccaria . . . .
One clown guides the beginning and end of our journey. Another beautifully designed figure expresses contentment through its mask. In Admiral Grey’s production, craftsmanship gives way to poetry after the convention of recording dreams is practiced.
Scale, color, and quality of movement is recognized in almost every vignette of the 70-minute production, The Human Dream Project, playing through April 28 at The Tank. Height makes a difference, too. While some of the large puppets reach almost to the ceiling, the miniature puppets also impress, at over a foot high. Patterned curtains hold together a playing area broad enough to have impact.
Why do we dream? It’s clear that Snake in the Boot Collective and Admiral Grey have given this so much thought. The misery of the nightmare and the tragedy of sleeplessness are nowhere to be found on stage. Voice-overs in women’s and men’s voices draw in the audience, in a passive, quiet way. Pre-recorded tracks (Music and Sound Design by Chad Raines) include ambient sound, a xylophone, and light percussion. A live drummer onstage adds emphasis, providing a frame by which we can view joyful, plaintive action.
Creator, Director, Lead Designer, and Fabricator Admiral Grey has focused on the importance of tempo. A variety of characters, with so many colors and forms, make their way across the stage. With sequences that echo the drama and mystery of Venetian carnival season, the mask work is quite strong. A glowing sun and a performer approximating the form of the Columbina stood out. Another vignette, of a snake in the ground enjoying a hookah, gives a foreboding sense of ease. A purple octopus takes the entire ensemble to manipulate. With long tentacles, it is one of the most impressive creatures on the stage.
Dedicated puppeteers make all the difference. Devising Performers include Brandt Adams, Rakel Stammer, Nicolas Panken, Madeline Yara, Nat Marvan, and Zibby Johns.
The most memorable sequence showed a great turtle, with birds and other animals on its back. With lights that take us through the darkness, it was a unique surprise. Translatable for an audience with and without a background in puppetry, The Human Dream Project reminds us to always take time for the spectacle of puppetry and make sense of our world slowly.
The Human Dream Project. Through April 28 at The Tank (312 West 36th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues). www.thetanknyc.org
Photos: Michelle Lobianco
