Sinthesis

Sinthesis is told primarily through song and music, with scenes that take place during several periods throughout history. Both actors and musicians play roles in each scene, with the actors playing several roles throughout the show--some of which recur later in the performance while others appear only once.

In all, the best part about Sinthesis was the music: for the most part, the songs were performed and written well, with a couple of very catchy songs in the middle. However, the story was a bit difficult to follow: part of this, I believe, stems from the costume changes. Some of them were clearly indicative of the period in reference, while others did not seem to accomplish anything, let alone a change in setting. A few technical details also interrupted the performance, including props that did not quite work as they were intended, and all the cords for the musical equipment and microphones covering the stage floor looked easy to trip over.

Perhaps the biggest hitch in the performance is that it came off a bit amateurish--the singing, monologues, and dance scenes could probably all have benefited from some adittional practice. While the musicians for the most part seemed trained in their instruments, as far as the actors were concerned, only one seemed to have any formal experience in singing and dance.

-- Jessica Lave