The acting in “Sonnets” is uneven, and the 90-minute show feels long. Still, the resourceful approach — and the polished interpretation of one monologue that Rivera himself performs via video — may bode well for the company’s next chapter.
At the beginning of the show, theatergoers are split into groups and assigned a guide (Barrett Doyle, Shana Laski and Andrew Reilly) to escort them around the building. In rooms, a stairwell and — most atmospherically — the nave, with its soaring ceiling and stained glass, characters recall experiences of wonder, frustration and failure. A lonely cynic (Lisa Hodsoll, wonderfully wry) remembers a chance meeting. A mother (a vibrant Kay-Megan Washington) worries how her son will fare in a racist society. A criminal (Victor Salinas, over-emoting) spins a prison-break tale that fuses with myth.
The stories don’t overlap narratively, though there are recurrent themes: a sense of life’s tantalizing brevity, confinement and the will to push back against it. Modest theatrical effects build an air of mystery, complementing the ecclesiastical venue and the script’s otherworldly setting. A door seems to open by itself. Shadow puppetry conjures menacing figures. A fiery sunset pours through a window. (Mike Durst and Helen Garcia-Alton designed the lighting.) The spaces themselves add atmosphere: When an embittered substance abuser (a dynamic Jared Graham) goes on a self-justifying tirade, the performance location — a commercial-style kitchen — adds to our understanding of his hard-knock life.
The monologues require us to concentrate, and without overarching narrative to sweep us along, a little “Sonnets” (premiered in 2000) goes a long way. This production is a curation of “Sonnets” monologues (Rivera sanctions selection and individualized ordering) and could stand more winnowing.
Audiences should be aware of the physical demands, too: not only walking between locations on three floors but also potentially standing during some monologues, as seating in certain spots is limited. The experience of walking around is not improved aesthetically by the guides, who, in their hokey makeup and robes, evoke a middle-schooler’s haunted house.
This is not the first Spooky Action show to move through the church facility: The company’s immersive 2014 “Kwaidan” roamed similarly. But this production is more professional — especially with Dinkova’s exhilarating rendering of a final scene that uses light to ponder the cosmos.
Sonnets for an Old Century, by José Rivera. Directed by Elizabeth Dinkova; scenic design and videography, Barrett Doyle; costume design, Stephanie Parks; projections, Mark Williams. With Raghad Almakhlouf, Jamil Joseph, Jolene Mafnas and Gabby Wolfe. About 90 minutes. Tickets: $34.50. Through June 25 at Universalist National Memorial Church, 1810 16th St. NW. 202-248-0301. spookyaction.org
Leave a Reply