BWW Reviews: Rediscover Wonder at WONDERHEADS' LOON, Part of CoHo Productions' Summerfest

Wonder is that experience when you see something beautiful and unexpected, and your heart wells up, and you think "Wow!" Poet Mary Oliver described it as "some strengthening throb of amazement." That's what it feels like to watch LOON, a production by the WONDERHEADS that is part of Summerfest, a five-weekend theatre festival happening now through July 12 at CoHo Productions.

WONDERHEADS, the brainchild of Kate Braidwood and Andrew Phoenix, is a Portland-based physical theatre company that specializes in mask performance. The company's mission is to find the wonder in the everyday. Their stories are told in movement and soundscapes -- no dialogue -- with the actors wearing full-face masks. The performances have been described as live cartoons or live-action Pixar.

In LOON, we witness the adventures of Francis, a middle-aged bachelor who is looking for love. In his quest, he experiences all of the feelings love brings: loneliness, hope, disappointment, joy. Braidwood, who is the woman behind the mask, captures these emotions so perfectly in her movements that you will swear the mask itself changes expressions. The lush soundscapes enhance the physical performance, heightening the emotions and bringing out extra bits of funny and touching. As the show progresses, you find yourself falling further into wonder, amazed by the magic that Braidwood accomplishes with a few simple props and a tremendous imagination.

WONDERHEADS has been traveling the continent, winning awards wherever they go. I hope we can keep them here for a while and perhaps convince them to perform the two other shows in their repertoire. They've also recently released a picture book, The Wonderheads Book of Wonder, written by Emily Windler and Lou Watson, which will be on sale soon.

LOON runs through June 28. Check out the rest of the Summerfest lineup at www.cohoproductions.org.

Photo credit: Second Glance Photography