Review: THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW at Olney Theatre Center

Every year around Halloween, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow returns in all of its head-rolling horror. This year, the Olney Theatre Center hosted Synetic Theater’s production of the tale, adding jaw-dropping action, chilling sorrow, and subtle drops of comedy running through it. 

The play was a completely pantomimed reimagining of the timeless legend of the same name: The tale of a headless horseman who roams the woods at night seeking his missing piece. The conflict, romance, and fear was all delivered solely relying on the actors’s physicality and emotions, and the audience hung on tight to every anguished look and grotesque fight.   

Casting was one of the main things that absolutely sold the show. It would be near impossible to conjure a more perfect lineup. Both the male leads—Vato Tsikurishvili as Ichabod Crane and Tony Amante as Brom—carried suave yet villainous energy that muddied their morality until their true characters came to light. Their physiques contrasted so cartoonishly that it sold the folklore of the story. Katrina Van Tessel (Sia Li Wright) and the Horse Spirit (Maryam Najafzada) had a raw, emotional depth to their portrayals. Wright’s anger and mourning and Najafzada’s sorrow and acrobatics were mesmerizing. 

The professionally crafty production value made up the rest of the show’s merit. Nestled in the black box of the theatre lab, each element of the lighting and sound reverberated off the walls and created a chilling ambiance, and the proximity to the stage immersed the audience further. Heads rolled in the form of props and prosthetics, each clearly carefully crafted to avoid looking like Halloween decorations. The most stunning piece was the horse puppet. Seemingly carved from the twisted wire trees also strewn in the foreground, the horse took two to three puppeteers. Najafzada sat at the center like the heart of the beast, flailing the front hooves for her master. 

The pacing and choreography had a special musicality since they held so much weight. The fights as well as the dances were hard-hitting, creepy, and yet graceful. There was no clunky choreography and minimal malfunctions. At times, the play did not linger on important beats, but the whirlwind fighting and acrobatics were the name of the game. Tsikurishvili played double roles as Ichabod and the fight choreographer, and for roles so pivotal, he pulled off both expertly. Each spin and slam and lift, whether for fiery combat or sweet dance, held so much conviction and confidence to pull off such a terrifyingly impressive performance. 

This premiere spooky season celebration at Olney has sold out through November 1, however tickets can be snatched for the show November 14-22 at Thomas Jefferson Community Theater in Arlington at the ticket link.

Duration: 95 mins no intermission 

More on Olney Theatre Center

Upcoming Shows

Sleepy Hollow

10/7 - 11/1/2026

Les Misérables

11/5 - 1/31/2027

Recent Articles

Review: SOME LIKE IT HOT at Olney Theatre Center

9/25/2026