Brynn Tucker and Ben Kunis in King Arthur.

You think you know the erotic, athletic style of Synetic Theater. And then they go and throw water into the mix.

That’s the angle behind the company’s season opener King Arthur, a re-imagined, silent version of the legend. The entire show takes place within three inches of water on the stage of Synetic’s new home in Crystal City. (The first few rows of the audience is considered a “splash zone.”) Synetic uses the water as a theatrical tool rather than a gimmick, making swordplay more exciting, a wedding scene more exuberant, and Arthur and his wizard father-figure Merlin’s cave-like dwelling downright creepy.

This is one of Synetic’s most transporting productions yet. Director Paata Tsikurishvili whisks the audience away to a dank, medieval setting, with shifting rock formations and artistically used flashlights heightening the mood. Konstantine Lortkipanidze’s Celtic-influenced score heightens the suspense.