Metamorphoses

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

The Avenue Theater with its current blockbuster regional premiere production of Metamorphoses is all wet.

Literally.

The actors are all wet.

Literally.

The brilliant set designed by Michael Duran is a large pool with an underwater escape hatch. Sometimes it serves as a pool, sometimes a river, sometimes an ocean. Whatever the pool needs to be, it becomes, and it works.

Taking Ovid’s Greek myths and turning them into contemporary thought patterns was a brilliant Greek Muse inspiration. In its own right, it should become a classic, if for no other reason than to acquaint people with the Greek myths.

Directed by Jeremy Cole with a magnificent cast, an understanding of comic timing, the result is a total, awesome knock-out, that will definitely want to be seen more than once.

Written by Mary Zimmerman, Metamorphoses is a 2002 Tony Award winner for Zimmerman as Best Director. It was nominated for two other Tony’s, and it also won the New York Drama Desk Outer Critics, the Lucile Lortel Drama League, and Obie Awards for Best Play.

If awards were given out in Denver, undoubtedly, it would walk away with several. Time Magazine calls it “the theater event of the year.” If Time Magazine reviewed the Avenue Theater production, it would underscore its comments.

Covering the stories of Midas, Alcone & Ceyx, Pandora, Orpheus & Eurydice, Charon, Eros & Psyche, and Baucis & Philemon, to name a few, Zimmerman weds the truth of the myths with hysterical, sharp, contemporary humor. Taking the myths to their core, she remains true to Ovid‚s tales.

Amazing how deep the Greeks understood human nature. There haven‚t been many changes.

The stellar cast includes: Trina O’Neill, David Blumenstock, Bill Hahn, John Arp, Susie Scott, Elgin Kelley, Courtney Hayes, and Stephen Pearce. They each play a wide variety of characters. The actors don’t miss a beat moving swiftly from one character to the next. There’s not a weak link in this riveting chain of actors.

Change Me is the theme established in the Introit. Change Me follows the emphasis of each story.

Ingenious costumes were designed by Cole. Charles Packard designed the effective lighting, and El Armstrong designed the notorious sound effects.

As the Greek Muse sat on the shoulders of Zimmerman, so the Muse sat on the heads of the cast and production crew of Metamorphoses.

If you aren’t familiar with the Greek Myths, it doesn’t matter. After the show is over, you will. If you know the myths backwards, forwards and upside down, the presentation will knock you out of your seat and knick your socks off, which will be perfectly OK since they probably will end up wet anyway.

Towels are provided for those who dare to sit in the front rows of the small horseshoe shaped theater with the pool only a couple feet away. The actors do a great deal of jumping, splashing, floating, and drowning.

Produced by John Ashton, Metamorphoses is a dig deep social statement, an honest hilarious comedy, and a visual feast all rolled into one magnificent production.

Call early for reservations, tickets will be difficult to come by. This show will be a sell out. No question.