Pardon my French but family life more often than not is pretty fucked up and Raphaëlle Boitel’s company makes you feel it deeply in Shadows Cast. Leaving the theatre, I felt like I just went through an intense therapy session. What I saw was beautiful, intriguing, at times funny, and brilliantly crafted.
Shadows Cast is theatre but with few words. It is the creation of French company Compagnie L’Oubliée led by Raphaëlle Boitel. Emotions are scattered and smeared across the stage with acrobatic dance, I don’t know if the French have the same phrase, but Shadows Cast shows people at the end of their rope, both figuratively and literally with acrobatics suspended high above the stage on ropes.
Thank goodness the 70 minute performance had humorous acts breaking up the intensity of all the other family dynamics. The therapists office scene was exceptional. The raw emotion that Vassiliki Rossillion brings to the stage throughout Shadows Cast reverberated through us all. The artistry and movement that Tia Balacey brings to the performance is awe inspiring. Her movement is so fluid yet strong. Mohamed Rarhib seems to have no bones when he moves although his character has a lot to say when it comes to his gestures.
The cast of six: Alba Faivre, Vassiliki Rossillion, Tia Balacey, Mohamed Rarhib, Nicolas Lourdelle, Alain Anglaret, each bring something unique to the stage. The last cast member isn’t a person but rather the lighting. The lighting for Shadows Cast was the most powerful, and creative lighting I have seen in any show. It added another two dimensions to an already fully dimensional story. The experience of the lighting alone is worth seeing.
Shadows Cast runs March 30 – April 2, 2023 at the Emerson Paramount Center Robert J. Orchard Stage 559 Washington Street Boston, MA 02111
Performance Schedule:
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Friday, March 30, 2023 Saturday, April 1, 2023 Saturday, April 1, 2023 Sunday, April 2, 2023
7:30PM ET
8:00PM ET 2:00PM ET 8:00PM ET 2:00PM ET
Ticket Information:
Tickets for Shadows Cast may be purchased 24/7 at ArtsEmerson.org, or by calling 617-824-8400 (Tue-Sat from 12:00PM ET – 6:00PM ET). The Paramount Center Box Office (559 Washington Street, Boston) is open for walk-up service Thu-Sat from Noon – 6:00 PM ET. Tickets start at $25. Groups of 10+ attending a performance save up to 30%.
Thanks to generous support from Rockland Trust, a limited number of $10 Mobile Rush tickets will be available at 10:00 AM ET each performance day on a first-come, first-served basis, exclusively through the TodayTix mobile app. For more information, please click on “General Public” when you visit ArtsEmerson’s Offers web page.
Recommended for Ages 10+
