Review: METAMORPHOSES at the Baxter Studio Is Liquid Food of the Gods

I’ve loved Greek mythology since I was little. This probably had a lot to do with Rick Riordan’s fabulous PERCY JACKSON book series. It’s been a while since I engaged with the content and this production sucked me right back in and reminded me how enchanting Greek mythology is. But it takes a special kind of show to outdo sacred childhood nostalgia. This is one such show.

Since witnessing this theatrical ambrosia a few nights ago, I have struggled to put into words what makes this production so ethereal, so ‘out of this world’.

METAMORPHOSES, written by Mary Zimmerman has been through metamorphoses of its own. Based on an David R Slavitt's translation of THE METAMORPHOSES OF OVID, the first iteration of the play was titled SIX MYTHS and was performed in 1996. It was later titled METAMORPHOSES and won a Tony Award for Best Direction in 2002.

The work has metamorphosed again in the current production, which Director, Steven Stead, has peppered with delectable touches of South Africanisms – which only add to the show’s charm.

I have trouble providing an explanation or even a blurb for METAMORPHOSES – whatever words I implement will be a disservice to the creativity and the ingenuity of this production. But I’ll try.

The show centres around eight Greek myths, each one beautifully told. The show is at once quirky, side-splittingly hilarious, tragic, haunting, didactic, beautiful, poignant, and uplifting.

These stories, these myths which the show’s text describes as ‘public dreams’ are centred around a literal pool of water, which sits on a deck and acts as the stage in this production. Indeed, the water is almost like one of the characters in this production, and is used in various ways to propel the plots of the public dreams on display.

Sometimes the water is used as a violent force – to drown; other times it is used as a calm, sacred space – Phaeton reclines on a lilo during a session with his therapist; other times it is used to evoke the passions of lust and love. This is one of the most original and effective set designs I have seen and Patrick Curtis deserves massive kudos. The set is at once exquisite, innovative, and integral to the plot – it is not just for show. Instead, it is central to the telling of these myths. One of my favourite uses is that of representing the ocean, as one of the actors wades through the pool with a model ship in hand, signifying a voyage.

The actors are all phenomenal in their own right: Carlo Daniels, Awethu Hleli, Tamzin Williams, Brent Palmer, Lyle October, Nolufefe Ntshuntshe, Cassiel Eatock-Winnik, and Matthew Vey play a variety of gods, demigods, mortals and narrators, spinning these waterside tales and bringing them to life.

Each stands out in different roles but I particularly loved Palmer as the materialistic King Midas. He is a scene-stealer. I also adored Hleli as the poolside therapist, talking daddy-issues with Vey, who gave a fabulous performance as Appollo’s son, Phaeton, complete with Daniels as his sun-god father, threatening to upstage him the entire time. All three are brilliant in this myth.

October as a love-struck god disguised as a granny, putting on a voice that I can only describe as Nelson-Mandela-esque is also a highlight – he had me in stitches. Williams as the mourning Alcyone delivers a beautiful, compelling performance. Daniels and Eatock-Winnick provide a convincing gut-wrenching portrayal of Orpheus and Euridice. Ntshuntshe’s poised, calming narrations are, for me, a backbone of the production. sometimes she acts for the audience, asking the questions we didn’t know we had.

Wolf Britz’ costumes are gorgeous as well: at times zany, at others graceful and delicate; and yet at other times bold and dazzling. One of my favourites is Poseidon’s look:  a swimming cap and flashy goggles should make him ridiculous: and they do but they also don’t.

Suffice to say, Steven Stead has knocked this production out of the park (and into the pool) – it's one of the best productions I've seen this year; don’t miss it.

There are also some truly magnificent lines that inspired me, many of them I urgently scribbled down so that I can remember them. If indeed, “myths are public dreams, and dreams are private myths”, METAMORPHOSES is a public dream worth revisiting over and over again.

METAMORPHOSES runs from 30 August to 14 September 2024 at the Baxter Studio. Tickets range from R85 to R220 and are available via Webtickets.

Image credit: Fiona MacPherson

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