Theatre of Dreams ★★★★★

Ever had the anxiety dream where you find yourself standing naked in front of a large group of strangers?

If you’re fortunate enough to have never been immersed in that classic nightmare, you can experience it midway through Theatre of Dreams, the electrifying jolt of dance-theater now playing at Powerhouse: International. But like most other aspects of this production, when the moment comes, so does the unexpected: the confident man who strolls alone across the stage seems more curious about the audience staring at him than nervous or ashamed to be seen in the nude.

That’s just one vital moment of many, for choreographer Hofesh Shechter has created a kinetic 90-minute work that never stops surprising. At the start of the show, as the lights fade slowly and the audience continues to settle in, a man in pajamas enters from the audience and walks up to the curtain, cracks it open, and then enters. From that point forward, there’s no stopping.

Dreams do not occur in clean narratives with strict beginnings, middles, and ends, and this production embraces that idea passionately. One curtain becomes two, then those curtains split and move to create striking visual tableaux of dancers that arrest the eyes for a moment before quickly changing again. Shechter and collaborator Niall Black have devised a set that is profoundly dramatic but also, at its core, wildly simple. Osnat Kelner’s engaging costumes only accentuate the trance-like, liminal quality of the action, with some of the performers dressed in evening wear to impress at the club, while others are donned in night clothes that indicate they’ve already turned in for the night. And the clothes, like everything else, are never static; performers are often seen changing and removing their clothes as they dance.

None of it would work without the stunning, cinematic lighting design by Tom Visser, whose contributions here cannot be overstated. Most of the show is lit as if it unfolds in the final minutes of dusk before total darkness, but bursts of blues and blinding whites pop in and ward off visual monotony. Occasionally the house lights even come up completely. The shifting levels of illumination change so frequently that the audience cannot help but get caught up in its intensity.

Adding to the intensity is the brilliant music that’s in a league of its own. In addition to the choreography, the multi-talented Shechter has also composed a percussion-driven soundscape that propels the show and the dancers within it. But even sonically, there are surprises. At various points a smoky jazz band (with musicians Yaron Engler, Sabio Janiak, and James Keane) is revealed, dressed head to toe in cardinal red. Their appearance pushes the show into David Lynch territory, and the effect is mesmerizing.

About those dancers… The twelve company members are magnificent. What stamina! And because most of the show is dimly lit, the dancers cannot rely on their facial expressions to sell their moves; their writhing, synchronized bodies must do all the work. Much of Shechter’s endlessly inventive choreography is rooted low to the ground, with primal, heavy stomping and bursts of movement. Solos are frequent and impressive, but when the company comes together, their unison is unimpeachable. Each deserves hosannas and mention: Tristan Carter, Robinson Cassarino, Frédéric Despierre, Rachel Fallon, Cristel de Frankrijker, Mickaël Frappat, Justine Gouache, Zakarius Harry, Alex Haskins, Keaneh Faith Simin, Juliette Valerio, and Chanel Vyent.

Shechter and company want you to feel everything viscerally; it’s clear they do not want the audience to experience Theatre of Dreams from an emotional distance. About two-thirds of the way in, the show becomes a communal event, an invitation for those in the audience to immerse themselves in the dream. It’s a joyous, inclusive section, a reminder that some dreams are actually lovely, warm, and happy. And best of all for those lucky enough to catch this fantastic production while it’s in town: all clothes stay on.