The cast of “Message in a Bottle.” (Lynn Theisen)
“Message in a Bottle,” which unfortunately is only running through Sunday at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, is simply a phenomenal production that should not be missed.
The work — which could unquestionably enjoy a far longer run — is driven by a phenomenal score of 28 stunning songs written and performed by Sting (with the title song drawn from his days with The Police) that have been superbly arranged by Alex Lacamoire. All the music is recorded, but Sting made new recordings of his songs especially for the production; several include female guest vocalists.
The show has been brilliantly directed and choreographed (largely employing an elaborate breakdance “vocabulary”) by Kate Prince, with performances by a remarkably dramatic and acrobatic cast of 23 dancer/actors drawn from her company, ZooNation, which is based at Britain’s legendary Sadler’s Wells dance center in London.
The true genius of this work, which debuted in Europe in 2020, lies in its uncannily prescient evocation of the chaos going on throughout the world at this moment, whether in Kyiv or the Middle East, on the Mexican-U.S. border and beyond. In addition, this show — which has no actual dialogue beyond Sting’s superb lyrics — serves as an extraordinary example of how the brilliant use of music and a great deal of dance can tell a story in ways that are far more powerful than the dialogue in a traditional play or musical.
The cast of “Message in a Bottle.” (Lynn Theisen)
There is much to say about “Message in a Bottle” and the work of dramaturg Lolita Chakrabarti. But one brief note in the show’s program — which states that 2022 statistics reveal “that over 100 million people around the globe have been forced from their homes … and half of them are under eighteen years old” — is of particular relevance given the immigration crisis now in play worldwide.
The production begins with a happy family, including a husband and wife and their three children, who are in their late teens. Then comes some sort of civil war that drives them to head for a ship and an escape they believe will take them to what might be a safer place. As it turns out, there is no such place. The family is separated, various romantic attachments are begun and lost, one young man is killed, and some of the other emigres are locked up in prison but eventually find their way out.
At every turn, dancing is fabulously expressive and intensely dramatic. And there is no one term to fully describe how superbly this show evokes relationships, love and loss, desperation and both captivity and freedom. It’s all enhanced by the exceptional cast and the evocative video design of Andrzej Goulding, set design by Ben Stones, lighting by Natasha Chivers, sound by David McEwen and costumes by Anna Fleischle.
All I can say is catch this show if you can. You’ll be reminded of Sting’s brilliance and what it can evoke in other gifted artists and performers.
“Message in a Bottle” runs through Sunday, March 3, at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St. For tickets, visit broadwayinchicago.com.
Follow Hedy Weiss on Twitter: @HedyWeissCritic
