The Velveteen Rabbit blurs the line of reality
Simply by rolling down your windows while entering Serenbe makes it clear that you have entered an entirely different world. The quiet is borderline eerie and the vast amount of green space begins to take you out of the city and into a cleaner, natural, back to the basics kind of world. You walk down a trail lined with limbs and cushioned with leaves and straw, there is nothing around but tree’s, a trickle of sunshine coming through, and welcoming, vibrant characters. Adult or child, the instantaneous reaction to be transported to some olden day land, filled with make-believe and heart is uncontrollable. It is the perfect locale for Serenbe Playhouse’s The Velveteen Rabbit.
Once seated in a clearing amidst the trees – a creek flows quietly in front of the seating, separating the main “stage” and viewers – the childhood tale begins. Although the story rings true to the beloved stuffed rabbit that more than just befriends the boy he is bestowed to, there are new twists, settings, and touches of humor written by Rachel Teagle. The play may be for children, but it was crafted for all ages to catch onto different moments and take their own impressions home with them. Set in post Civil War Savannah, there are tinges of civil issues and historical moments that set up a backdrop. And the placement of the play in this low-level moist land makes viewers feel the humid, thick air that brings on an illness that provokes the story’s most pivotal moment. The end is happy, and the lingering ora of possibility makes you want to stay a bit in this land of play.
Brian Clowdus, artistic/executive director of Serenbe Playhouse, directed the entirety of this show without skimping on a single moment. Each character is full of their own brand of whimsy that shields a darker side that comes out in brief interludes. Sam Constantino plays the adorable and lonely Samuel who longs so desperately for shared love and friendship. His companion who comes to life with this very love, the velveteen rabbit, is played by Ryan Ortega who took on the challenge of transition and the heartbeat of the show. The other toys that intrigue and lend their own kind of expertise to the velveteen rabbit are definitely the standouts for this show. The broken down ballerina, Maggie, played by Mary Hadsell holds a darkness buried beneath her pink tutu. The soldier, beau, played by Ryan Stillings is stoic, gruff and holds tight to his no funny-business attitude till the end. And the skin horse, who plays the role as wise narrator, played by Tyrell Ruffin is the advice filled old grandaddy who sips shine out of a mason jar and rocks knowingly off to the side. Each was so developed and committed to their roles of inanimate objects that come to life. Think Toy Story, yet with a southern gothic feel. Making the show whole was the bold female wild hare with a bit of a sensual edge played by Brantley Ivey and Kelli Owens who took on Nana through the majority of the play until she entered the water and became the fairy that makes it all real.
Serenbe Playhouse has successfully taken theater back to where it belongs. The use of found spaces and natural settings to better depict and intensify the experience is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of ingenuity. They have found a way to craft tales and allow the audience to be fully accepting and the story to unfold onstage and in their minds. The trek outside the city’s confines was more than worth it.
The Velveteen Rabbit is part of Serenbe Playhouse’s Season of Change and will be running till July 27 with Friday and Saturday performances. For tickets and further information, visit http://www.serenbeplayhouse.com.
