What I liked
Playful and imaginative design has you hooked from house open. I couldn’t wait for the first surprise to hatch.
The theme is on point.
The story structure is delightful.
The characters are fully realized and the physicality and stage pictures are stunning. A spectacular spectacle!
This ensemble rocks. There is not a weak link among them.
What I didn't like
My only criticisms are all technical: the sound was too loud for most of the show- I could still hear the actors perfectly, but I recommend earplugs for anyone with audio sensitivity. Also, I wish the reverb mic had less echo; we get the disembodied voice, and it takes 1.5 times longer for the actor to speak clearly with the reverb, so it cuts the flow.
The transitions tend to drag and I wonder if there is a way to snap them up- the show is so wonderful that I found myself impatient for it to continue more fluidly.
But all of this is nit-picking. This show is terrific!
My overall impression
“Birds and the Curiousity” is creative, imaginative, and beautiful – inside and out. The stellar ensemble is on point at every turn, molting with vulnerability in this stylized piece filled with heart, truth, and joyous surprises. A must see spectacle for HFF23!
