I am astounded that merely five actors could take us on such an unforgettable adventure and believably portray a cast of thousands! But they did... and it was absolutely magical!
This play is an example of storytelling at its finest. Synchronicity's intimate theater coupled with Bilbo Baggins' narrative, drew us in and blurred the lines between watching a performance and actually being part of the adventure. Brooke Owens skillfully transformed Bilbo from a humble hobbit who just wanted to spend his days quietly sitting at home drinking hot chocolate, into "Bilbo Baggins, the Bad Boy Burgler" who not only outwitted Gollum, stole "the ring" and braved a daring rescue of his friends, but also fearlessly fought off a gigantic spider, evil goblins, massive trolls and a ferocious dragon!
photo by Casey Gardner
Ash Anderson is the most versatile member of the cast playing a dwarf, Gandalf, Gollum and the Elfin Queen. How does one go from being a tiny dwarf to the imposing Gandalf? With the addition of jumping stilts and a huge wizard hat, of course! But Ash didn't rely solely on props to morph into these diverse roles. Her considerable talent as an actor shone through as her voice inflection and body language gave life to each character. As Bombur the dwarf, she scampered around speaking cheerfully, but as Gandalf, she spoke with authority and boldly strode across the stage. As Galadriel, the Elfin Queen, she regally lead her army, but as Gollum, she shrank in size and her rantings were both pitiful and insane. In fact, my favorite scene was her poignant portrayal of Gollum losing his "Precious".
Benedetto Robinson, as Thorin Oakenshield, rightful King of the dwarves, joined Tennison Bary III and Ryan Vo, who not only played dwarves but also hilarious trolls and ferocious goblins and wolves. These three were responsible for the bulk of the fighting and the defeat of the fearsome dragon, Smaug. The thrilling scene when the goblins attacked the united army of dwarves, men, eagles and elves in the epic Battle of the Five Armies was action packed and made one feel as if great armies were indeed battling each other. I especially liked the elf archers' synchronized attack.
Although this is not a musical, the cast sang several songs. Johnny described it as "Hamilton-ish" in that they rapped most of them. We liked not only the songs, but the whole musical score because it supported the action without overshadowing it.
The stationary set was very cleverly constructed with scaffolding that allowed us to travel up mountains and down into caves. The huge center-stage wheel facilitated changes of location and perspective. We especially liked the swimming and the rolling barrels in the stream! The lighting also contributed much to this play. The dimming of the lights each time Bilbo slipped on the ring to become invisible was brilliant.
However, for me, the costumes and props stole the show. I LOVED the fusion of this classic story with a steam punk vibe! From Bilbo's Victorian attire right down to his adorable Hobbit feet, and from the gears on the masks and weapons to the awesome troll arms and surprising eagle wings, everything was so quirky and interesting!
This play would not have been so powerful were it not for the vision of Jake Guinn, the director. He said, " I find that we are in desperate need of good adventure stories. There is so much in the world that is difficult and dangerous. How many times have we felt as if we were just a dwarf or a hobbit facing down a dragon? I would hope that by watching Bilbo's journey, you are reminded that you have much more in you than others may see."
Under his masterful direction, these five amazingly talented actors made the characters in this beloved book jump off the pages and appear before our very eyes. If your child has read The Hobbit, you absolutely must bring them to see this show... they will LOVE it! If your child has not yet read The Hobbit, you absolutely must bring them to see this show... they will LOVE it AND it will inspire them to read the book. Equally appealing to both boys and girls, this show is appropriate for Hobbit fans from 6 to 99 years old!
I cannot recommend this show enough. It was one of the very best performances I have seen anywhere in Atlanta. Thank you to Synchronicity Theatre for hosting us. We loved it so much, we are buying tickets for the whole family to go back and watch it again!!
PERFORMANCES:
Fridays at 7:00 p.m., Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
TICKETS:
Single ticket prices range from $21-31 for adults and $16-26 for children ages 3-12. This production is best suited for children age six and up.
For tickets or more information, please visit synchrotheatre.com or call 404-484-8636.
School group tickets are $8-10 for weekday matinees. Group rates are also available. Groups of 10+ get a discount. Please contact Sarah Kelley at sarah@synchrotheatre.com or 404-484-8636 for detailed information.
LOCATION:
Synchronicity Theatre
One Peachtree Pointe Complex
1545 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
