FST's Metamorphoses

On the way out of Ovid's Metamorphoses at the Florida Studio Theatre, I providentially found a section of ivy just long enough to make a wreath for my head. Dionysus has something to say to me.

Probably that he enjoyed the play and found it a fitting tribute. If you haven't heard of this particular adaptation, you should know that the entire action takes place around a pool of water which takes up nearly the entire stage. The most powerful piece is of course Eros and Psyche, and not only because Eros is nude except for wings and a blindfold (which in no way hindered the actor from some truly fine choreography). That particular piece is narrated in the form of a Socratic dialogue, bringing the audience along from initial titters at Eros' nudity (he's a god, you provincial swine, get over it) to finding meaning in the interpretation of the story as the soul's journey, overcoming great difficulty, to the realization of a higher kind of love. The adaptation is superb and the performance of it here left nothing to be desired. The piece fadged perfectly, which was almost a shame because I would have loved to see adaptations of some of the other stories, such as that of Iphis, one of the earliest extant FTM transgender narratives. Extremely well-known stories, such as that of Medusa, Pandora, and Narcissus were merely (and excellently) suggested with movement and props.

Besides Eros and Psyche, my favorite piece was the psychoanalysis of Phaeton. The concept could have been executed very poorly, but I found the execution excellent. The use of modern language and analysis added to the myth rather than trivializing it, although the archetypal Jungian psychologist and her very archetypal patient were extremely funny.

In essence, the thrust of the piece is about love, which made it an obvious choice for FST to put on in the weeks leading up to Valentine's Day, but it also seemed like an antidote to the saccharine of the season.