Portrait of Dorian Gray: A Picture Perfect Gothic Event

When it comes to the Synetic Theater, I admit I am biased. We live in a Crystal City apartment complex and Synetic Theater is located in our Crystal City Underground. That means we don't even have to go outside to see a world-class theater company perform its take on some of the greatest works ever written.

So it's no surprise that we thoroughly enjoyed Synetic's latest production, a reworking of Oscar Wilde's Gothic classic The Picture of Dorian Gray.

There are a plethora of reasons for you to take in a performance for Halloween week if you haven't yet seen the production.  Here are 6:

1) A sexy orgy in an opium den featuring a giant hookah with pipes extending like tentacles.
2) A creepy portrait portrayed by an always engaging Philip Fletcher.
3) A brilliant psychological character counterpoint performed by Joseph Carlson (as Gray's mentor) and Robert Bowen Smith (as portrait painter Basil).
4) Dripping paint on a plexiglass wall as a symbol of a decaying Victorian society.
5) Another star turn by Dallas Tolentino (last seen as D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers) as the Dorian Gray descending into dark depravity.
6) A soundscape by composer Konstantine Lortkipanidze that as usual intensifies the action on stage.

But you don't have to take our word. Here is what others are saying.

•  "Dorian Gray reveals that the Tsikurishvilis never stop thinking about how to keep their aesthetic entertainingly fresh, how determined they remain to make a splash ... Synetic's portrait doesn't seem to fade with age. No, it just keeps getting sharper." - The Washington Post 
• "A truly sexy, gothic tale perfect for the Halloween Season." - MD Theatre Guide
• "A sensual, frenetic and dark portrayal of Oscar Wilde's controversial novel."-WTOP

And if you want to have a deeper understanding of the performance check these out:

• Dallas Tolentino on playing Dorian Gray
• Paata Tsikurishvili on directing the play
• Adapting the play by Nathan Weinberger