Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: Seattle

A Tasty Dinner at Wotan's Served up at Teatro ZinZanni

Also see David's review of These Streets


Geoff Hoyle and an audience member
A winter warmer of an evening is festively on the bill of fare in the latest frolicsome production by Seattle's Teatro ZinZanni, the Ring Cycle spoofing Dinner at Wotan's. The Belgian mirrored Spiegeltent is the perfect setting for this better than average evening of music, movement, comedy and circus, all served up between courses of an ample and appetizing meal. The performers in this current entry are mostly familiar, but their schtick and song choices are fresh and fast-moving.

After a goofy welcome by the dwarves Snorta, Hardon and Kimir, portrayed by the aptly named eccentric clown trio Los Excentricos, we venture into Valhalla. Here you get a dash of the real deal as powerful opera singer Kristin Clayton dishes up some familiar Valkyrie vocalism as Nordic hunk Tobias Larsson, transforming Sting's trademark tune into "Every Bath You Take" as Clayton descends into a bubble bath du jour. We don't see our host Wotan for awhile. First his wife Fricka (Anki Albertsson) brings on his mother, the first of several ribaldly amusing characters brought to life by comic pro Geoff Hoyle, who ropes three audience members into a merry dance, each outfitted with blonde farm girl braids.

Specialty acts include a splendid routine by dancer/balancer/contortionist Christopher Phi as Jorgemon, Terry Crane as the fierce god Loki in amazing aerial performance, Ariana Lallone in an aerial dance of real beauty, and another impressive routine by the team of Sam Payne and Sandra Feusi as Balder and Helga. Wotan (Hoyle again) later appears in another hilarious routine where two audience members are the hunter and the prey, set to the music of Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." The music throughout the evening adds to the charm and momentum of the production, under the strong musical direction of Hans Teuber.

Carnivores and vegetarians alike can delight in the quality of the food services available, and there is a multi-course "Wine Flight" included as well. Clearly, artistic Director Norm Langill has another winner on his hands with Dinner at Wotan's.

Dinner at Wotan's runs through May 12 at Teatro ZinZanni, 222 Mercer St. in Seattle. For info or tickets, call 206-802-0015 or visit www.zinzanni.org.


Photo: Keith Brofsky

- David Edward Hughes