Art and Athleticism in Synetic's Carmen At Kennedy
You have to give Ben Cunis props for sheer athleticism.
The co-star of Synetic Theater's production of Carmen spends a good portion of the production hoisting himself over, under and through the winding metal, cage-like set constructed for the production. It's an impressive feat (enough to generate more than a few exclamations of "Oh my!" from some of the Kennedy Center's older patrons).
But when he's not showing off his strength, Cunis is equally adept at demonstrating the simmering jealously of his character Don Jose particularly through the medium of dance. One of the play's opening scenes has him surrounded by a Greek-like chorus of women, haunting him about his lost love, Carmen. The character whips into near frenzy, contorting and twisting in a choreographed rage.
But enough about Cunis. The play is called Carmen, after all, and we have a more than formidable one in Irina Tsikurishvili, Synetic's choreographer and signature diva. She's coquettish without being cutesy, and as wholly seductive as the show itself.
The show's movements, heavily Spanish-influenced but much more stylized, make this an expressionist take on the famed opera. Flamenco is very present here, and in a particular highlight, one dancer (Vato Tsikurishvili) transforms into a convincing bull. A mischievous, dashingly-dressed fiddler also wanders through the proceedings. The show's music, composed by company favorite Konstantine Lortkipanidze, is no throwback to the original; its darker, trance-like tones enhance the show's steamy feel.
The show almost doesn't need words to get its point across; Synetic often deals with silent interpretations of classic stories, and this may not have been a bad route to go with Carmen - the sparse dialogue the story has is pretty wooden. But the words are kind of an afterthought - this is a show that manipulates your emotions with movement, where passion gets personified.
Carmen runs through June 15 at the Kennedy Center. Tickets are available online.