Even if Kansas City has managed to dodge the latest predicted snowstorm, other parts of the country and the world haven’t fared quite so well. As the temperatures outside here hover around freezing and snow and ice seem permanent fixtures on the ground, perhaps it’s time to put real travel plans on hold for awhile, and instead snuggle into a virtual trip that will send all your senses reeling. Right now Kansas Citians have the luxury of traveling “Around the World in 80 Days” without ever leaving the metro area.
As good as the actors’ translations of their roles are in the Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s current production of “Around the World in 80 Days” (and, believe me, the acting is just about as good as it gets), the main character in the play is the stagecraft. With ingenious simulations of everything from a bumpy elephant ride to a sledge rhythmically swaying in a snowstorm, the scenery and special effects are knockout brilliant. Prepare to be dazzled.
If you’re a fan of the 1956 Hollywood movie version with this title (starring David Niven), you may be wondering how the KC Rep is managing to accommodate a hot-air balloon on its Spencer Theatre stage. But the Rep’s production is faithful to Jules Verne’s 1873 novel, and Verne employed ferries, steamships, and rail travel as vehicles for his character Phileas Fogg to make good on his bet that he could circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days.
Kansas City Rep partnered with CENTERSTAGE of Baltimore to present this imaginative, creatively vibrant production that had its world premiere in 2008 at the Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, so the actors are Chicago-based.
Lance Baker as Phileas Fogg conveys perfectly the extremely rigid personality of his character, but it’s a delight to watch him defrost measurably as he gets to know Mrs. Aouda (played by Ravi Batista). Yes, there is a love story contained in this visual feast of scenes (complete with sea voyages and stampeding horses), and that makes the play much more than just a travelogue. Despite the sometimes heavy-handedness of the action, Baker and Batista make us care about their characters, to the point of sighing with delight when their hands accidentally-on-purpose touch over two teacups in a turbulent ride on a steamer in the midst of a tempestuous sea.
The family-friendly production was written and directed by Laura Eason and staged by Heidi Stillman, and runs through February 14. You will marvel at how they managed to pull this extravaganza off, while delighting in a “Kansas City Getaway” that doesn’t require a commitment of 80 days.
Comments
Sounds like fun.
Your review is spot-on. The production was amazing and surprising, all the way around.
Another thought about the play: I couldn't believe it, but just sitting there in my theatre seat, I actually felt like I *had* been around the world by the time the production thundered to the end. It was a true journey.
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