Word: chorused
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...course, there's also "Summertime," the first single on Static and Silence and "that song" everyone brings up when the Sundays are mentioned. "Summertime" has a contagiously hummable chorus but completely indiscernible verse lyrics, which is a shame because, as the most upbeat and melodious of the album's songs, the track is also one of its deepest and most poetic. It begins by painting a honeymoon postcard picture, complete with a "romantic Piscean," an "angel in disguise" and a Poconos-style "heart-shaped hotel room." This image is then contrasted with the situation of those born into circumstances hidden...
...explodes onto the stage, confidently informing us, "I am the son of God!" Unlike the smirking and leering Winsome Brown '95 (the female Dionysos in the earlier production), Keane demonstrates a rich range of emotions. The audience laughs when he drops self-adoring one-liners, sighs when the Maenad chorus drapes themselves over him, shudders when he hollers in anger. This Dionysos is a creature with genuine power, which makes the foreshadowing of Pentheus's death even darker...
Although they have small roles, the First Guard (Robert Ross), the Second Guard (Dmetrius Conley-Williams), and the silent chorus of Pentheus's guards are also extremely talented. The speaking guards manage to be appropriately funny at otherwise tense moments, while still remaining in awe of the power surrounding them. But the most easily overlooked group of people on-stage, and the ones who deserve the most kudos, are the Chorus. Resembling the love children of Raggedy Anne and Courtney Love, replete with magenta dreads and combat boots, they prove to be an excellent addition overall. The dancing, chanting women...
Depicting the forces of darkness is something which this Dido never does well. Perhaps the cast is just too nice--rare, indeed, would be the group of people which smiled more! The chorus of ostensible witches is, of course, the same which minutes before played a group of cherubic courtiers and flower girls. The actors seem to be relying on the black cloaks which partially cover their usual white robes to convey the transformation of their characters. They certainly don't act any differently, or smile any less. They do, however, make lots of silly ghost sounds and giggly cackles...
Cannon, as Belinda, is a lonely point of light in this largely disappointing production. More than any other performer, Cannon takes great advantage of the surprisingly good acoustics of the PfoHo dining hall: her strong, lovely soprano resounds thrillingly, even above the frequent fits of scuffling from the chorus members and recurring orchestral problems. Her Act II opening solo, "Thanks to these lonesome vales..." is excellent, demonstrating especially skillful use of dynamics and vibrato...