What I liked
Loved the use of shadow play, the emotional twist, and the excellent arc of M-Pulse, from both a writing and performance aspect.
What I didn't like
If I’m going to be truly nitpick-y, the sequences with the Supers as a League were a mixed bag – I totally got a sense of place and a very Watchmen-esque tower vibe for their location, but the connection between actors fluctuated from true honesty to playing the “idea” of a superhero.
My overall impression
A super-fun (pun intended, obviously) romantic action piece about insecurity and deep love. I didn’t see TC until Extensions and I now understand why it won BEST DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATER – the use of shadowplay and combat sequences may not have been crucial to the plot, but they WERE crucial to the production. TATTER CAPES had a cinematic vibe while employing tried-and-true theatrical conventions, adding up to a unique yet comfortably familiar experience – cast (especially Dixon, Mercedes, and King) was outstanding, with great shadow work from the ensemble, and well-executed direction bringing locations to life without the use of video effects (which could easily have been employed as a catch-all). A solid script with an excellent twist (and great direction and acting choices really selling that twist emotionally), TATTERED CAPES was, to be corny, the superhero play we needed.
