Hit the Lights! Theater Company was selected to be a 2018 company-in-residence at Ars Nova, a major incubator of young talents beginning their careers. Using found materials, they specialize in “transforming ordinary objects into something extraordinary.” The company is composed of six multidisciplinary artists including puppeteers, actors, musicians, vocalists, artisans and “everything in between.” Dungeon successfully played the Cincinnati and Minnesota Fringe Festivals (audience and critics pick, respectively). Given a One Night Stand performance at Ars Nova, I decided to check them out.
Using screen puppets, hand puppets, actors, lights, a screen, sheets and a bass and violin, Dungeon is described as a story of a young man who falls into the unknown to rescue the thing he holds most dear. I felt this was a version of Alice falling down the rabbit hole, with scary images and darkness. Odd monsters, spooky looking trees and the search ensues. This is definitely fear-is-fun territory, played for laughs with some quality imagery. There is a large amount of interesting puppetry (and its evolution) to be found around town these days. To be at the next level, like Manual Cinema for example, I would say that the storytelling in Dungeon needs to be clearer. A fun, high energy company to watch as they develop in residence.
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