Photo by Kathleen Finlay
Wingéd
Whetstone Productions
Written and performed by David Tomlinson
Runs until May 8 @ DeLeon White Gallery, 1139 College Street
By Gabrielle Charron-Merritt
Wingéd, a new piece written and performed by David Tomlinson, presents adaptations of the stories of Icarus, Lucifer, and Phoenix. Linked by their (in)ability to fly, all three characters are played by an ever-changing Tomlinson and given their own monologue. The stories are unexpectedly and originally transformed. Through series of anecdotes, David Tomlinson provides witty back-stories and deadly accurate observations about humanity.
Tomlinson’s body is perfectly cast for each character, subtly changing, yet always remaining himself. He’s committed to staring into spectator’s eyes and including them in his dance. The flip-flop between ancient mythology and pop culture works for a modern audience, but some of the pop references are a source of cheap laughs, as if Tomlinson can’t help himself. The performance is quite long (albeit admirably memorized), but this reviewer got lost somewhere during the second monologues and missed out on most of the third monologue.
In an effort to create a more intense performance with more classic winged creatures, Tomlinson developed the Lucifer and Phoenix stories after a successful performance of Sunstroke: Icarus Speaks in 2006. The two additional monologues are in the same style as the original Icarus monologue. The performance started off strong with a well-developed first monologue, but it could have been shortened in order to successfully incorporate the other, newer monologues.
I really enjoyed Tomlinson’s retelling of Icarus; it’s a story that I’ve loved since my mother told it to me as a bedtime story. The adaptation did not ruin my memories of the story, but added to the myth that will always live in my head, supported by David Tomlinson’s white costumes, designed by director Diana Kolpak, which he wore gracefully. The stage was beautifully accented with lighting designed by Sharon DiGenova. As well, the ceiling-video projections created by Joacob Niedzwiecki, successfully enlarged the stage to include a sky and create a space for Tomlinson’s characters to fall and fly.
