**** Highly Recommended Drury Lane’s production of Da Vinci Code, adapted by Rachel Wag staff and Duncan Abel, based on Dan Brown’s bestseller, kept me on the edge of my seat. I must say, even if you’ve read the book and/or seen the movie – which I did – you will be drawn into the mystery. The casting is spot-on, the staging impressively mysterious. Kudos to Director Elizabeth Margolius. Hurry and get your tickets for this must-see show! 4 BIG Spotlights
Before I saw the show, I wondered how they would deal with all the locations –the Louvre and the Church of Églies Saint-Sulpice in Paris, Westminster Abbey and Temple Church in London, Rosslyn Chapel in Edinburgh, an airplane, and more. They solve that problem brilliantly using clever staging, hazy lighting into dark shadows, awesome special effects and spooky music. Kudos to Scenic Designer Scott Penner, Lighting Designer Lee Fiskness, Co-Video and Projection Designers Anthony Churchill and Mike Tutaj, and Original Music & Sound Designers Joshua Schmidt.
Da Vinci Code begins with the murder of Jacques Saunière (Ray Frewen), the curator of the Louvre. Police detective Bezu Fache asked Professor Robert Langdon (Jeff Parker), a symbologist from Harvard, who arrived for an appointment with Saunière, to decode a message Saunière left behind. When Saunière’s granddaughter, Sophie Neveu (Vaneh Assadourian), a police cryptologist, arrives, she notices something suspicious about Fache, so hurries Langdon out, leading to a chase through Paris and an evening of non-stop action.
Silas (Shane Kenyon), an assassin from Opus Dei, a sinister, cult-like organization, who murdered Saunière, head of a secret society, the Priory of Sion, staging his body in the pose of Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. When Silas digs up the floor of the Church of Églies Saint-Sulpice, there’s nothing there. Unfortunately, he also killed all the other guardians of the keystone, so he has to report his failure to the Teacher.
Saunière’s clue was meant for Sophie. The solution is so cryptic, Langdon thinks they need an expert, so they visit another expert, Sir Leigh Teabing (Bradley Armacost) who turns out to be a villain. As the chase continues, conspiracies and ancient secrets are uncovered.
The ensemble is vital in this thriller. Every actor except for the two leads steps out of the ensemble, becomes a character, then steps right back into the ensemble when the scene concludes. The ensemble includes Bradley Armacost (Sir Leigh Teabing, Jennifer Cudahy (Vernet/Docent/Church Volunteer), John Drea (Rémy/Philip}, Ray Frewen (Jacques Saunière), Anthony Irons (Bezu Fache), Shane Kenyon (Silas), Janice O’Neill (Sister Sandrine/Marie), and Leslie Ann Sheppard (Collet).
Da Vinci Code runs through June 1st at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Parking is free. Running time is two hours, 30 minutes, with an intermission. Performances are Wednesdays at 1:30 pm; Thursdays at 1:30 & 7:00 pm; Fridays at 7:00 pm; Saturdays at 3:00 and 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:00 & 6:00 pm. Tickets range from $75-$150 (including taxes & fees). FYI (630) 530-0111 or www.drurylanetheatre.com.