Photo by Raymond Gniewek, courtesy SyneticIt feels pretty sadistic to voluntarily let someone put you through hell, but Synetic is making a pretty good case for it.
The Arlington-based theater company’s production of Dante feels less like a theatrical production and more like you’re actually a full-blown witness the journey the famous Inferno character makes with Virgil through the depths of the underworld. And the journey isn’t an easy one – scenes depicting the torture of hypocrites, mass murderers and, particularly, the suicidal, can be graphic, uneasy, even horrifying to watch. But that’s kind of the point; the immersive quality of the production is at the heart of its impact.
Synetic tells Dante’s story using a modicum of dialogue, with much more emphasis on movement and music – Synetic resident composer Konstantine Lortkipanidze’s score here is one of his best, spine-chilling in some of its rattles and climaxes, simmering and building ominously elsewhere. The production features some tricky costume techniques, from the grossly bandaged wrapped group of sinners, to the way two or three actors can become one unfortunate figure. Irina Tsikurishvili’s choreography places an emphasis on contortion to display anguish here, while trapdoors and flowing materials take on key roles in setting the scene.
