Review: THE POMEGRANATE TREE at Theatre Off Jackson

Successful immersive theater is a difficult-to-achieve, yet, extremely sought-after experience. There’s a classic elegance to a completely seated, stationery work of art, and there’s modern excitement that comes with an interactive show. 

Whether all or some parts of a show are immersive, you can’t shake the feeling that you’re closer to the characters than ever, feeling the stakes run through your blood as if you’re the one making a life-or-death decision. Theatre Off Jackson’s The Pomegranate Tree is one of the rare immersive shows that tosses you into the character's world and convinces you that you’re meant to be part of the storyline and maybe even have been all along. Created and directed by Suz Pontillo & Ayla Wren Wallace, the Dacha Theatre show, or experience, is now open in Seattle’s International District.

From the second you enter Theatre Off Jackson, you have a strange feeling that this is going to be a memorable and spine-chilling night. You’re offered a token that you must exchange for your ability to enter the space, which has been transformed into Hades’ underworld. 

Lighting Designer Jordan Somers and Scenic Designer Teia O’Malley work seamlessly together to create a gorgeously dark and daring room where the events of the night play out, differing from show to show. The intricate and unique costume designs from Briana Schwartz played into this theme, digging deeper into the deep understanding of this mythic tale. 

As the audience enters through a passageway, guided by the ferryman, Charon, there’s a distinct and unmistakable excitement brewing through you. We’re in the underworld for the famed wedding of Hades and Persephone, but before we can get to the ceremony, we’re offered countless opportunities to interact with, and even help, the deities that walk amongst us. 

The show features Amber Tanaka (Achilles), Angel Gao (Aphrodite), James Schilling (Hades), Kendra Tamär ​Budd (Artemis), Kenzie Wells (Apollo), Ksenia Bosviert (Demeter), Liam He (Hermes), Orianna O'Neill (Cassandra), Paula Wilson Nitka (Athena), Riley Gene (Persephone), Sean Hendrickson (Mnemosyne), Steph Couturier (Dionysus), Walden Barnett Marcus (Orpheus), Logan West (Charon), and Karis Ho (Hecate).

As you move throughout the space and are approached by the gods, it’s clear that this show is an absolute masterclass in improv. My personal favorite interaction was between me, a few show attendees, Karis Ho as Hecate and Logan West as Charon. Hecate enlisted our help in finding out if Charon had shared the same feelings of affection towards her that she held. Through our conversations about these feelings and how to ensure they come to fruition, it was completely evident that Ho was deeply intertwined and knowledgeable with Hecate as a person. Ho, insanely quick with her answers and always clearly guided by her true intentions, made it gratifying to watch the situation unfold, knowing we had played a part in their fate.

Angel Gao as Aphrodite was another memorable interaction. As she approached us and explained her goal and purpose for the evening, the conversation quickly shifted to pop culture and light-hearted banter. It was outstanding to witness such playful and deep-seated knowledge of a character that she was ready for absolutely anything. 

There were many times when the show was reminiscent of a “choose your own adventure” book. Often the audience broke up into different groups to witness and play a hand in various scenarios. There was a whole room I personally never made it into because I was so entranced by the other elements of the show. This feeling, coupled with the high-level character knowledge and raw talent, truly made for a unique and memorable night.

While the interactions were the highlight of the night for me, the structured elements of The Pomegranate Tree displayed elite timing, presence, and entertainment. Moving back and forth from a party-like setting to a crowd-watching event, there was not a single second I could imagine an audience member being bored.

As Dionysus rounded us all up to sing a drinking song, there was a strong sense of audience comradery that was hard to ignore. We were excited to participate and could feel the energy radiating from the cast members around us.

The happy couple, Hades and Persophone, played by James Schilling and Riley Gene, delivered a powerful sense of structure throughout the night. As we embarked on our side quests, it was comforting coming back to such a memorable and well-known story line. With countless retellings of their love story, it was exhilarating to witness one that felt truly fresh and understood by the actors.

We were also lucky to be serenaded by a three-piece band featuring Diego Chavez, Van Lang Pham, and Olivia Pedroza throughout the night, which added to the feeling that we were just at an uncharacteristically dramatic wedding reception. 

With so much to process and so much to admire, this is a show I'll be thinking about for a while. And still, anyone who reads this review will most likely have an entirely different experience from me at The Pomegranate Tree, and that is the exact reason this one is not to be missed. 

The Pomegranate Tree runs from now until November 9 at Theatre Off Jackson. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.dachatheatre.com/ 

Photo Credit: Liam He, Ksenia Bosviert, James Schilling, Angel Gao, Sean Hendrickson, Riley Gene, Logan West, Amber Tanaka, Kenzie "Kit" Wells, Orianna O'Neill, Karis Ho, and Walden Barnett Marcus in The Pomegranate Tree at Theatre Off Jackson

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