“Looks like our silence continues to speak, shout, and roar!” Director Paata Tsikurishvili finished his introduction—the last words spoken onstage for the rest of the evening. Red and gold drapes lit with fleur-de-lis hung from the rafters, offsetting the black stage. The stage seemed set for an ordinary Shakespearean production. But Synetic Theater’s As You Like It was far from ordinary.
…the amount they conveyed with their bodies was incredible…
Founded in 2001 by Georgian artists Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili, Synetic Theater produces a distinct type of performance that emphasizes the synthesis of motion and visual arts. Its Shakespearean productions are particularly unique in that the cast performs the pieces completely without words, depending only on their physicality and the intricate sets to tell the stories.
This lively interpretation of As You Like It begins as brothers Oliver (Scott Turner) and Orlando (Philip Fletcher) bury their father. The ceremony had barely ended when Oliver robs Orlando of his half of the inheritance, forcing a destitute Orlando to work at Duke Senior’s (Irakli Kavsadze) estate where Orlando falls deeply in love with the duke’s daughter Rosalind (Taylor Robinson). After Duke Senior’s brother Duke Frederick (also Irakli Kavsadze) seizes Duke Senior’s estate and banishes him, Rosalind is also exiled. Duke Frederick’s daughter Celia (Sharisse Taylor) follows her cousin into the urban jungle of Arden. Much as you’d expect from Shakespeare, Arden brings all the characters together even while their disguises keep them apart. Poetry, pole dancing, and a pack of dogs all add to the confusion as the characters work towards their romantic ends.
The most interesting parts of the performance centered on Synetic’s artistic interpretations of Shakespeare. Without speaking a single syllable, Jacques (Scott Brown) beautifully conveyed the famous “All the world’s a stage” speech, “mewling and puking” his way around center stage as he shed multiple masks. Orlando builds a fake Rosalind out of garbage including an umbrella and the base of a wheeled chair. The Mario theme song played to parody Silvius (Zana Gankhuyak) and Phebe’s (Laura Artesi) mess of a romance.
Additionally the artistic design was phenomenal. Backlights cast shadows for chase scenes so that only the actors’ silhouettes were visible, a full sized car rolled across the stage as an integral set piece, and the costumes combined urban steampunk with modernized royalty.
Although pieces of the performance were slightly overacted at times, the performers took risks and pushed through any awkwardness, and the amount they conveyed with their bodies was incredible—a slight cocking of Celia’s neck demonstrated her stubbornness, while Rosalind’s stride revealed her discomfort with her disguise. From incredible athleticism to pure art, Synetic’s As You Like It found an innovative new way to rework a classic.
Running Time: 2 hours with one 15-minute intermission.
Advisory: Gunshots and semi nudity. Adult themes.
As You Like It plays through January 17, 2016 at Synetic Theater, 1800 South Bell Street Arlington, VA. For more information and to order tickets please call (866) 811-4111 or click here.
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