The Butterfly’s Evil Spell @ Theatre Three

Photos by Jeffrey Schmidt and Sarah Barnes

—Jill Sweeney

Once upon a time, a young poet was born in a green, fertile land. Though loved by his family, the poet yearned without ceasing: for love, for illumination, for an end to the ache in his heart.

This is Federico García Lorca, Spanish poet and playwright. This is also the hero of his first play, The Butterfly’s Evil Spell, newly translated and adapted by Dallas native Dante Flores for Theatre Three’s 60th season.

BTW, our hero’s a cockroach, should that matter to you.

And it certainly did matter when the play was first staged in 1920 Madrid. Missing the point of the show entirely, it seems, audiences found the inclusion of such “disgusting” insects in García Lorca’s piece distasteful, especially given the play’s exalted subject matter. The show was pulled after only four performances. The playwright, embittered by the failure of his first theatrical effort, later refused to acknowledge it, claiming that 1927’s Mariana Pineda was in fact his first play.

But there’s a lot to enjoy in this piece, which is more of an extended meditation than a play. There’s a plot, to be sure, and action—but more than anything else there is gorgeous poetry. The story of a cockroach who loves a butterfly (who will never love him back) would be moving enough on its own; knowing that García Lorca was a closeted gay man, torn between his professional persona and his authentic self, adds new levels of poignancy.

Theatre Three’s production of Flores’ new translation captures not only the beauty of García Lorca’s poetry, but also the earthy humor of his characters—and director Danielle Georgiou capitalizes on her dance background to keep the action onstage fluid and dynamic.

Our hero, dubbed “Roach Boy” in this translation, is played with passion and pathos by Omar Padilla, but balanced by humor that’s best captured in scenes with his long-suffering mother Doña (a wonderfully dry Leslie Marie Collins) and his frustrated admirer Silvia (Bethany Mejorado), a beetle from a well-to-do family. Roach Boy’s mother would be pleased to have her son settle down with Silvia’s affluent clan.

Doña is advised by her old friend, a shaman of sorts played by Bradley Campbell with just enough gravitas. Natalie Young brings big Ophelia energy to her portrayal of the butterfly, crash-landing near Roach Boy’s village only to fly away as soon as she regains her strength. Ensemble members Elizabeth Evans and Rudy Lopez play a variety of other buggy village inhabitants, almost all scene-stealingly hilarious.

But the standout of the evening for me was Shawn Gann, an actor I’ve seen in a number of productions over the years, but never with this much runway to show what he can do. Although howlingly funny in some of the smaller roles, it’s his performance as the menacing Scorpion—a murderous cannibal shunned by almost all the village inhabitants but Doña and her son—that intrigued me, as he grows into a kind of shadow-self to Roach Boy’s frustrated yearnings. Gann’s performance is both nuanced and chilling.

The set, from scenic designer and T3 artistic director Jeffrey Schmidt, was charmingly Texas-specific and, well, just plain charming. Giant metal flowers and looming cacti were interspersed with fallen FM road signs and cleverly repurposed fast-food trash. You know you’re in Texas when the presence of a gigantic Whataburger spicy ketchup packet gets its own applause break.

Schmidt’s use of printed backdrops above the stage combines beautifully with the lighting design from Ryan Burkle, creating an almost shadow-puppet effect at times. Costume designer Aaron Patrick DeClerk adds subtle character notes to each costume, and suggestions of insect anatomy rather than anything more overt.

This show might not be for everyone—it’s one of García Lorca’s less frequently staged plays, for sure—but The Butterfly’s Evil Spell is a dreamy, thoughtful piece with laughs and soul—and a fitting choice for T3’s ambitious season.

WHEN: Through April 30th

WHERE: Theatre Three, 2800 Routh St, #168, Dallas, TX 75201

WEB: theatre3dallas.com