Icarus
The task of effectively updating Greek mythology with modern theatrical flavor is not a simple undertaking, even as it has become increasingly popular in the Chicago theater scene. As such, Lookingglass Theatre Company’s new adaptation of the Icarus myth, the second consecutive Greek-inspired production from the company, meets with expectations that are certainly heightened.
For those of you lacking the nerdy gay fascination with the world of mythology, let me explain the basic premise of the story that inspired Icarus, crafted and directed by Lookingglass artistic director David Catlin: Icarus is son of Daedalus, a talented Athenian craftsman who is held captive by King Minos following his building of an elaborate palace and labyrinth to imprison a minotaur. Dadedalus constructs a pair of wings for his son to escape their exile in Crete. Icarus fails to heed his father’s warning to avoid flying too close to the sun and falls to his death in the sea.
But the plot itself is easily the least interesting aspect of this production, which truly takes flight - pardon the pun - with its astonishing visual elements that show off the cast’s immense physical prowess and do justice to the show’s aerial leanings. The flight scenes are captivatingly choreographed and performed with great accuracy, belying textual description with beauty undeniable for even the most cynical of theater critics. This is particularly true of the dramatic fall of the show’s namesake - played with charm by Lindsey Whiting - at the show’s end, though the entire cast deserves accolades for their commitment to the production’s daringly high expectations.
Earthbound, the choreography - courtesy of Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi - is also impressive, married with hauntingly thrilling music composed by Rick Sims. The movement is acrobatic and intimate, strong and vulnerable; as the delicate air scenes are juxtaposed with primal fighting scenes. And the costuming and prop design perfectly complete the triad of the show’s visual impact. Particularly worth noting are a set of gray children’s shirts, hung from rope in the stage’s background to symbolize a deadly annual sacrifice mandated by King Minos following his son’s death - a constant reminder of the era’s bloody consequences for being "wronged."
But when the cast is not flying above the audiences’ heads or maneuvering with uncanny precision on foot, the production’s shortcomings come to light. The emotion of the easily universal themes Catlin aims to address - "the psychological desire to take to the air, the need of the father to have his child succeed and the dizzying despair of falling" - rarely resonate through the actors’ verbal delivery. The lack of emotional connection allows the audiences’ attention to drag at various points in the plot’s progression, between the visual tricks.
But perhaps the final piece of emotional impact will arrive as the production’s actors grow more comfortable with the tremendous physical demands before them. Give this production a few more weeks to simmer and tighten itself up - while Icarus isn’t quite at a cruising altitude yet, it certainly has all the components there to do so.
Icarus plays through Jan. 24 at the Lookingglass Theatre Company’s home, the Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. Shows are Tuesday-Sunday at 7:30 p.m. with weekend matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.lookingglasstheatre.org or by calling 312-337-0665.
