Moby Dick - Theater Mirror

Plexus Polaire’s “Moby Dick” at ArtsEmerson

by Michele Markarian

“Moby Dick” by Plexus Polaire. Inspired by Herman Melville’s novel. Directed by Yngvild Aspeli. Presented by ArtsEmerson, Emerson Paramount Center, 559 Washington Street, Boston, through January 28.

“There are three types of men – the living, the dead, and those who go to sea,” Ishmael (a charismatic Julian Spooner) tells us at the beginning of Plexus Polaire’s 85-minute version of Moby Dick . At a directionless point in his life, Ishmael joins the crew of the Peqoud and lives to tell the tale. Gorgeous and disturbing, this production uses both humans and puppets, lighting, and live music to create an atmosphere that’s dense with mystery, death, and rebirth.

Cast, audience members in A.R.T.’s ‘Moby Dick’ – Photos by Maria Baranova

by Mike Hoban

Moby Dick – Music, Lyrics, Book, and Orchestrations by Dave Malloy; Developed with and Directed by Rachel Chavkin; Based on Moby-Dick by Herman Melville; Music Direction and Supervision by Or Matias; Choreography by Chanel DaSilva; Mimi Lien, Scenic Design; Hidenori Nakajo, Sound Design; Bradley King, Lighting Design; Brenda Abbandandolo, Costume Design; Eric F. Avery, Puppet Design and Puppet Direction. Presented by American Repertory Theater, at the Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge, through Jan. 12

There are a lot of adjectives one could apply to Moby Dick, the musical adaptation of the novel now being given its world premiere at the A.R.T., but “boring” would not be one of them. Considering the source material and the three-and-a-half hour run time, that may come as a bit of a surprise, but given the success that Dave Malloy and much of the same creative team that adapted (a portion) of “War and Peace” into Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet, maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise at all.

Tag: Moby Dick

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