Playwright: Jason Loewith, Justin D.M. Palmer, Michael Montenegro after Karel Capek. At: Next Theatre at Loyola University Mullady Theatre, 1125 W. Loyola. Phone: 847-475-1875; $20-$40. Runs through: June 20
It’s a pity that administrative turmoil at Next Theatre threatened to overshadow the world premiere of War with the Newts.
This stage adaptation of Czech author Karel Capek’s dystopian fantasy opened just three days after Next artistic director Jason Southerland resigned amid unauthorized rights issues concerning the theater’s recent production of Return to Haifa (Next Theatre issued a statement on May 28 apologizing to Israeli playwright Boaz Gaon over the unlicensed use of the title and both verbatim and paraphrased passages from his earlier stage adaptation).
Yet bad publicity is still publicity nonetheless. And hopefully this attention to Next will turn to this highly theatrical and polished adaptation by former Next artistic director Jason Loewith with co-adaptor Justin D.M. Palmer and puppeteer Michael Montenegro (who only depicts the Newts in dreamed-up versions).
The play supposes what might have happened if a Czech capitalist entrepreneur came to command a race of rapidly-evolving Newts in the 1930s and 40s. Instead of robots usurping their masters (explored in Capek’s own play Rossum’s Universal Robots), it’s the industrious Newts who eventually revolt from their subservient roles into rivals for control of the earth.
What makes this production truly fun is the great effort in the script (and particularly by projection designer Mike Tutaj) to place the Newt conflict in this alternative world timeline. History buffs will especially enjoy the Newt-related newspaper headlines and other media throughout.
What’s missing in the script is a true connection to the main character, the butler Mr. Povondra (Joseph Wycoff). First presented as very stuffy, Povandra becomes obsessed with documenting the rise of these Newts at the expense of his family life. More frustratingly, Povandra becomes an inarticulate Cassandra who fails to warn others about the Newts’ rise to power.
Yet all the other elements of the production are top-notch. The acting company rises to the occasion. Particularly outstanding performances are delivered by Joel Ewing (who is hilarious as the pouting son Frankie Povandra among other roles) and Steve Pickering as the brusque Captain Van Toch (who discovers the Newts).
Director/adaptor Loewith uses the increased capabilities of the Mullady Theatre to his advantage with simple, yet stunning stage pictures like ranging from a seedy sideshow tent to Povondra’s newspaper-stuffed attic (elegantly executed by set designer Collette Pollard and lighting designer Keith Parham).
Whether read as a parable about the rise of fascist forces or a warning about mankind’s hubris at controlling the earth’s wildlife and natural resources, War with the Newts gives audiences plenty to think about. So don’t let the theater’s administrative troubles scare you away from Next’s strong world premiere production that serves up a compelling dose of theatrical storytelling wonderment.