Some of us may remember the old turntable on a cart your teacher would use to present an aged recording of a Shakespeare play so they could get some grading done. Theatre in the Dark’s unique approach to live, digital theatre is the complete opposite of that. It’s exactly what it sounds like, theatre without images, but it’s not a podcast. Nearly all the elements heard in their audio production of ‘Moby Dick’ are coming to listeners live.
Billed as “pandemic proof”, Theatre in the Dark broadcasts to audiences all over the country, in real time via Zoom. Creativity is born out of necessity, but pandemic aside, they’ve created a really interesting theatre concept. In lush sounds and haunting silences, the listening audience feels like they’re floating in open water with Ahab’s doomed crew. The sense of isolation feels especially relevant for those of us listening in quarantine.
Adapted and directed by Corey Bradberry, this version of ‘Moby Dick’ is far more succinct than the novel and for that it should be praised. Bradberry has crafted Melville’s epic into a streamlined and suspenseful sea yarn. Through Ishmael’s narration (eloquently voiced by Elizabeth McCoy), the playwright is able to aptly summarize Melville’s complex themes in relatable dialogue.
The vocal performances of Mack Gordon as Starbuck and Stubb as well as Robinson J. Cyprian as Ahab are what keep the listener engaged. In a way, this is a much more passive form of enjoying live theatre, but the audio world created by Theatre in the Dark takes audiences beyond their couches. An original score by Nick Montopoli helps set the emotional tone.
Theatre in the Dark is a relatively new company, but their platform offers them so much room to grow. For those who enjoy theatre but aren’t ready to get back out there, this is a perfect way to feed your need for great storytelling.
Through April 10th at Theatre in the Dark. https://www.theatreinthedark.com/
