In the spirit of excellent novels coupled with Lifeline Theatre’s equally inventive stage adaptations, The Piano Tuner, by Daniel Mason, is as brilliantly crafted for the stage as originally written. Tailored for a visual audience by James E. Grote, this exotic adventure concerning a British War Office and an ordinary piano tuner comes alive through the masterful direction of Jonathan Berry.

Edgar Drake, a withdrawn piano tuner lives a quiet Victorian life with his loving wife Katherine. He travels across the world amongst the wilderness of war-torn Burma, occupied by the British in 1866, to tune a grand piano. Here he meets Anthonly Carroll, a man whose work is so important to the effort in Burma, his musical foibles are to be pandered to. Carroll convinces Edgar that he believes music is the key to peace. A stunning stay in an exotic land, this exploration of colonialism and conquest is not only appropriate and timely but deals with pressing political and social matters.

Although Daniel Mason was only 26 when he wrote the novel in 2002, it was regarded as genius. Held to the bar with the likes of E.M. Forster and Rudyard Kipling for the obvious similarity in chronicle of place, Mason forces his hero to become just the opposite. Forced to deal with treachery and deceit, his trust in the wrong people, self-imposed cynicism, love for art, and inevitable human nature, become the downfall of a culture.

Upon entering the theatre space, the world, as you know it, is instantly transformed. The set design, a careful jungle like structure that includes weaved bamboo and necessary plat forming, is care of Alan Donahue. A giant waterfall spills across the background thoughtfully counterbalanced by a life-size piano center stage. In this fantasy, brilliant colors represent flowers and blood- red fabric engages in dance. This variety of representation combined with vivid imaginary circumstance is used regularly throughout the piece.

Patrick Blashill is perfect as the seemingly austere Edgar Drake. Emanating truth in every aspect of his performance and possessing obvious connections with his fellow cast mates as well as the text, Patrick is so grounded and powerful, you forget you are watching a performance. It is only befitting that all his cast mates are up to speed, most of who double or triple in character. Much like the age-old art of storytelling, a chorus is used for opulence, exposition, and to establish environment. Eric Martig and Danny Bernardo prove to be physical chameleons. Their various postures and changes in corporal presence are crucial in the audience’s understanding of social class and importance in this distant land. Kurt Ehrmann is deceivingly pleasant as Anthonly and Shole Milos is very entertaining. Yosh Hayashi has a wonder vocal quality, Fawzia Mirza is exotic by nature, and Melanie Esplin’s high energy is a nice balance for Patrick’s character.

This thrilling and wild adventure is brilliantly colored; both by Mason’s pen, and the Lifeline stage.