SENNIN
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There is something of this sort of magic in Society for New Things’ shadow play Sennin. This production, adapted from a Chinese legend, uses the shadows of set pieces, puppets, and live actors to create the mystical world of the folktale. And if director David Gutfreund’s adaptation doesn’t entirely succeed in all it seeks to accomplish, Sennin shows more inventiveness and imagination in its half-hour running time than most shows do in two hours.
Entering the Society for New Things’ space, one is greeted by the overpowering aroma of incense, tinkling new-age music, a shadowed image of a figure in cape and hat, and the sound of mysterious laughter–provided by the show’s host and narrator, Travis. Travis takes us on a trip, once upon a time in the East. This is the tale of Gonsuke, a young man who wants to become a Sennin, an immortal mystic with the ability to fly.
