Mute Performance

A few other people have posted about comparing or contrasting the play’s text against the live performance, and many people I’ve heard talking about the two have been saying things such as “Caliban was too vengeful” or “the plot was too focused on Prospero.” While they have valid points, one thing they may not necessarily take into account is the way the plot must be portrayed. Had this performance been at another theater, put on by another production company, perhaps they could have stuck more to the original plot. This play, however, had to be performed without any dialogue at all. This was a major obstacle for the actors to overcome. While normal actors have words that express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions, the cast of the Synetic theater had to rely completely on non-verbal communication. Every facial expression, movement, and sound had to work to demonstrate what words would normally accomplish. Even interaction with the audience was utilized towards their means. They were able to – by using the set around them – create an entire story that was brought to life without speech. Though it wasn’t the most vocal performance I have been too, it is definitely one of the most fascinating.