BWW Reviews: Know Theatre of Cincinnati's THE DRAGON

Now through May 7th, there's a big, scary dragon occupying the Know Theatre and he's quite the dictator.

Know Theatre is once again pushing the boundaries and going further "left of off Broadway" as their tag line states with their current production of The Dragon, a 1943 play by Russian playwright Eugene Schwartz. A modern day political fairytale, The Dragon tells the story of a small village oppressed by the beast in a way that they do not question the strict rules even though they're unhappy. Lancelot rides into town just in time to save the Dragon's young bride, Elsa from her marriage and impending death. But what happens after the dragon is slain? The same thing that happens after any dictator is gone: you have to continue to slay more dragons, only in different forms.

Madcap Puppets provides the magnificent (though in all honesty, just a tiny bit creepy) marionettes for the production. The marionettes make up the entire cast, save for the Dragon, Lancelot, and the Cheshire-ish cat, and the puppeteers handle the marionettes with exceptional style. While the marionettes have only one expression on their faces, it's remarkable how feelings are transferred through the puppets, from the sultry and sexy nightclub performance from Elsa, to the scared and frightened townspeople. It's evident the cast takes great care in the way the puppets "perform" and it helps make the story more "real."

While Paul Morris, who plays the Dragon, can't really breathe fire, he can certainly snarl and growl in a very convincing manner. Dylan Shelton as Lancelot is a nice-looking man who had a way of interacting with the puppets that wasn't awkward as one might think but instead had a natural ease about Lancelot. Annie Kalahurka was the stand-out performer as the puppeteer and voice of Elsa, the damsel in distress. You'll be hooked on her from her opening number and through to the end. Know Theater's Alison Vodnoy did an exceptional job as the adaptor/playwright and lyricist for this production. So much so that late that night I found myself wishing I had a recording of Elsa's song to listen to again.

While the play centers on marionettes, this isn't a play for young children (I'd definitely agree with their 13 & up age suggestion). But don't be put off by the puppets, the political message and theme of the play is engaging and it's interesting to think about the fragility of the human spirit.

All tickets to all Know Theatre productions this season are $12 in advance and $15 on the week of the performance thanks to a generous partnership with the Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation. You can purchase online at www.knowtheatre.com or call the Know Theatre box office at (513) 300-KNOW (5669).