Review: BATTLEFIELD at Kennedy Center

Sometimes a theatrical presentation doesn't need much to make its statement. In the case of world-renowned Director Peter Brook's Battlefield, all you need to make an impact is a strong acting company and some bamboo pieces placed strategically on the stage of the Kennedy Center's Family Theater as part of the center's Spotlight on Directors series.

Battlefield is based on The Mahabharata which some say is the longest poem ever written. Peter Brook staged this poem - adapted for the stage by Jean-Claude Carrière - at Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1985. Clocking in at nine hours, it became one of year's biggest attractions. The show was also filmed for PBS.

Battlefield is a 70-minute condensed version of this material, adapted and co- directed for the stage by Brook and Marie-Hélène Estienne. With only a four-member cast and a percussionist, Brook takes us through a harrowing journey of life after a brutal battle.

The four-actor ensemble, comprised of Carole Karemera, Jared McNeill, Ery Nzaramba and Sean O'Callaghan, plays many characters including a snake that is in denial after biting a child, a hungry falcon, a blind king named Drtarashtra, and a grieving mother. The performing company is accompanied by percussionist Toshi Tsuchitori who provides drum beats that are ominous and spiritually uplifting at the same time.

At times the show feels as if it is wafting along rather than building dramatic tension but having said that, you have to admire Peter Brook for taking his epic version of The Mahabharata and making it more accessible. The man is 92 years old and could have very well lived on his past success with the material.

For those who want to see the work of a master director, Battlefield is definitely worth a look this weekend. It by no means has the wallop of the larger version of The Mahabharata, but Brook's name on the project and his master craftsmanship definitely make Battlefield worth the trip.

Running Time: 70 minutes with no intermission.

Battlefield runs through April 2, 2017 in the Family Theater at the Kennedy Center, which is located at 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC. For tickets, click here.