In Theatre Zarko’s production of “The Sublime Beauty of Hands,” puppetry adopts an experimental vision that goes beyond a form of children’s entertainment.
Figures dressed in black glide across the stage, transforming into characters of a dreamlike sequence. In their bare hands, objects representing explosive weapons bring despair. With few words, the motion of hands becomes a medium for expression.
The Evanston-based puppet symbolist theater, located in Noyes Cultural Arts Center, closed its double-bill performance Sunday as part of the Next Theatre Company’s Dark Night Series. The series showcases companies with untraditional styles.
The performance featured “The Sublime Beauty of Hands” in the first portion as a critique of the tragedy resulting from man-made technologies and “Klown Kantos”-an assortment of physical comedy pieces-in the second half of the show.
“It’s an unusual theater experience,” said Michael Montenegro, founder of Theatre Zarko, who also wrote and directed the show. “It’s not the typical play that deals with human beings and a straight narrative; it’s more surrealistic and very different.”
Though Theatre Zarko was established only a year and half ago, Montenegro and the theater’s founding group of actors have been producing puppetry for 10 years.
“I started (puppetry) when I was little and found it a fascinating way to combine sculpture, painting, movement, poetry and playwriting,” Montenegro said. “Now that we’re established, we’re planning yearly runs and seasons of work.”
After the show’s initial five-week run sold out every night, Next Theatre offered its larger performance space.
“Watching the transformation from a small theater into a bigger one is pretty amazing,” said Emily Guthrie, president of the theater’s board of directors.
The theater combines dramatic visuals with various theatrical techniques, including puppetry, masks, European clowning and singing. Live music also accompanies the performances.
Susan Anderson, a resident of Oak Park, Ill., said the show’s creativity impressed her.
“I haven’t seen anything like it,” Anderson said. “It was out of time and space.”Montenegro said the duality of the show between the serious and comedic pieces creates a rich experience for the audience.
“People have been expressing the fact that the show is not only entertaining, but it’s thought-provoking,” he said. “I think an audience member will see types of puppet theater that are very rare and highly professional.”[email protected]
