Goodman Theatre presents an all-new stage adaption of THE WHITE SNAKE.
I didn’t care for this either time I saw it. I saw it first on Tuesday night. My reaction was so strong and negative that I wondered if my martini at dinner had impaired my judgement. After all, this was Mary Zimmerman’s work. Her “Metamorphoses” is in my top ten favorite plays of all time. To give it a second chance, I went back on Wednesday night. The return lasted about sixty minutes. I left during the white snake’s encounter with a stag and a crane.
A loud god-like voiceover is used for the stag’s voice. And the crane’s oversized appearance coming from the audience is like Big Bird showing up unexpectedly. The scene isn’t enchanting. It’s buffoonish. And if this was a play for young kids, I’d say that works. Who wouldn’t like Big Bird’s Chinese cousin, Big Crane? But according to the press release, the show is for kids, 10 and up. And there lies my underlying issue. THE WHITE SNAKE doesn’t know what it wants to be.
On one hand, the aesthetic is elegant. A shimmering silk falls from the ceiling. The ensemble pulls it billowing across the stage to show clouds. The set-up is exquisite. A trio of performers are lit. They take turns narrating the introduction story. Although the look is reverent, their words aren’t always. There is a clunkiness to the backstory as jokes are attempted. Even though the design team; Daniel Ostling (set), T.J. Gerckens (lighting), Mara Blumenfeld (costumes), Shawn Sagady (projections), fill the stark stage with oriental sophistication, the story itself is delivered like Chinese vaudeville.
Director and Playwright Mary Zimmerman’s script is both simplistic and confusing. Zimmerman’s story rolls out without much intrigue. The narrative and dialogue reenforce each other making it easy enough for a five year old to follow. The confusion comes in with Zimmerman’s choices to make it more adult-oriented. A character pops up infrequently to narrate a lesson in Chinese drama. His presence is more odd than clever. Zimmerman also plays up the drunken side of a quickie marriage. The humor tries for amusing but ends up sophomoric. These decisions, seemingly to get a PG-10 rating, keep the fable from being a lovable classic.
THE WHITE SNAKE wants to be “The Little Mermaid” but it needs to commit to the complete metamorphosis. In its current stage, I fear Zimmerman’s THE WHITE SNAKE doesn’t have the legs to stand on… especially without the Goodman design team to transform it.
Running Time: Ninety minutes with no intermission
Based on the classic Chinese fable
Written and directed by Mary Zimmerman
At 7:30pm on May 29th and June 4th, 5th, 8th
At 8:00pm on May 30th, 31st and June 6th, 7th
At 2:00pm on May 29th, 31st and June 1st, 5th, 7th, 8th
Buy Tickets at www.goodmantheatre.org
Production photo by Liz Lauren
For more information and reviews about Chicago theatre, check out Theatre in Chicago.