The story of a unicorn who, discovering herself the last of her kind, journeys to find her people, "The Last Unicorn" takes a quirky, insightful look at love, storytelling, friendship, and the lengths to which humans go to thwart mortality. First published in 1968, Peter S. Beagle's cult sensation is a hard piece to successfully alter, in part because of the assumption that any work involving a unicorn is meant for children; Beagle's book is not. Facile and clumsy, the 1982 cartoon version, despite spot-on casting of Mia Farrow as the unicorn's voice, failed to capture the dark sweetness of the original.
That Beagle endorsed Promethean Theatre Ensemble's world-premiere stage adaptation boded well, as did his attendance on opening night. Strange, to sit next to a writer watching his vision unfurl, but Beagle's presence only initially distracted. Soon, the show, all masked dancers, tart lines and inventive puppetry, demanded focus. Although uneven, the cast committed wholeheartedly to a story rife with mythical creatures and fantastical events, allowing the audience to suspend disbelief and be moved.
Nick Lake as magician Schmendrick was self-deprecating and ultimately valiant, everything a longtime fan of the book could desire. Christina Gorman, well-cast as the Harpy, was expressive and chilling, and Shawna Tucker, equally well-cast, lacked subtlety, but looked the part of Molly Grue. Kyla Embrey, although at first hard to accept as a unicorn, boasted laudable focus and a melodious voice, as well as expressive features and irrefutable power. Although understandable, the choice to costume her in a white dress, with a white rose signifying a horn, robbed her later transition - from beast to human - of impact. A better option might have been to make her initial costume more equine, her hair white rather than brown.
Allowances must be made when tailoring a story circumscribed only by the scope of a reader's imagination to fit the stage. Although "Unicorn" stretched over two hours, and certain scenes lacked punch, overall Ed Rutherford's adaptation was both imaginative and loyal. His neat excision of extraneous plot points honed the author's boundless vision without constraining it, bringing hidden themes into bold relief. Never condescending, the show was nonetheless appropriate for children as well as adults, those who have grown with the story, and those lucky enough to experience it for the first time.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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