By Ron Fassler . . .
This past Sunday afternoon was the closing performance of the brief, limited run of Huang Ruo and Basil Twist’s Book of Mountains & Seas. Both puppet theater and choral performance, the sold-out audience at St. Ann’s Warehouse was enraptured by the beauty that enlivened the stage for its 80-minute playing time. There’s still fear of Covid-19 out there, but that’s not the reason there wasn’t a single cough to be heard. People were holding their breath in anticipation of what came next.
For those unacquainted with Basil Twist’s prior work, he is a singular sensation as a designer and stage director. A renowned puppeteer, he was a frequent collaborator with the Mabou Mines Company and its founder, Lee Breuer (Peter and Wendy among many shows), and was responsible for the wonderful effects in the Broadway musical The Addams Family (2010), a highlight of which was Uncle Fester’s mid-air pas de deux with the moon—entirely Twist’s creation. Huang Ruo, is a composer and librettist, who (according to his website) “draws equal inspiration from Chinese ancient and folk music, Western avant-garde, experimental, noise, natural and processed sound, rock, and jazz.” His music for Book of Mountains & Seas, featuring the Choir of Trinity Wall Street composed of a dozen men and women, was non-stop and mostly of a liturgical nature. Its language featured a mixture of Chinese and made-up words, chanted to create a spell-like atmosphere. Two percussionists, Michael Murphy and John Ostrowski provided the musical accompaniment, each from either side of the stage in view of the audience.
The storytelling comprised four scenes, each distinct ancient Chinese legends (or myths) that would have been difficult to decipher if not for accessible program notes. All dealt, on a cosmic level, with birth and death; the sun, the moon and the stars; mountains and rivers and oceans and dealt a surprise in that they were of such a minimalist nature. Not only in terms of the sparseness of whatever small plotting was involved but also in the physical production. Young children were in attendance in what must have been the hopes by their parents that they would be visually wowed by the artistry of puppetry from such a major force as Twist, but this was not that sort of show. Lanterns on the ends of sticks, as primitive as one might imagine, were well utilized, and lit, but lacked the bravura for which Twist is often associated. The entire enterprise was low-key from beginning to end, except for a giant built out of small pieces of wood or rock, who arose, in the final moments, to take on a battle with the sun. By that point in the journey, it’s entirely possible those young children needed to be stirred awake to watch this fulfilling climax.
That can be taken as a criticism, but only for those expecting to see a different sort of show. For those who came with an open mind, there was enough beauty and drama to be entertained and moved by the imagery throughout. This brief advertisement should give a sense of what it’s all about:
Mention should be made of the puppeteers (only six, but you would think there had to be more): Lute Breuer, Ben Eiling, Rosa Eiling, Alexandra Goss, Rachel Schapira and Ashley Winkfield. Dressed in black, nonentities, they are, of course, the pulsing and beating heart of all that is seen.
With only a six-day run, those who got a chance to see Book of Mountain & Seas in its world premiere were treated to a unique and highly theatrical piece. Whether it tours or not is an open question but keep your eyes and ears out for any announcements. I imagine we have not seen the last of Hung Rao and Basil Twist’s creative vision with this piece.
Book of Mountains and Seas. Played March 15-20 at St. Ann’s Warehouse (45 Water Street, Brooklyn Bridge Park, DUMBO, Brooklyn). www.stannswarehouse.org
Photos: Teddy Wolff
