I have a new love. I call it Catalyst Theatre. A couple of years ago I saw their production of Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, and I was completely and utterly blown away by the design and stylization of the production. So as soon as I heard that their show Hunchback was coming to town I knew that I had to see it.
As implied by the title, Hunchback is based on Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame about a priest, gypsy, and deformed bell ringer whose lives become entangled in a tale of overpowering love. Catalyst's telling of this classic story is punctuated with yet another impeccable design, phenomenal musical arrangements, some amazing choreography, and of course the ridiculous triple-threat talents of the entire cast.
It's weird because I often hear mixed reviews of Catalyst shows. I guess I can understand that the styling of their shows is based on a very specific aesthetic that will not match everyone's taste. But being one of those people who LOVES their aesthetic, I have a hard time understanding what's not to love. These people can make a simple inhale an absolutely breathtaking experience. ... And for the record, I actually thought long and hard as to whether to leave that sentence intact, but because of how much I mean it, I decided to ignore any potential cheesiness for the sake of maintaining the literal translation.
To say this show was awesome feels like a bit of an understatement to me. Congratulations to Catalyst Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, and the Cultch for this stellar production!
No comments:
Post a Comment