In the dark, intimate setting of the Bierkeller Theatre, the alternative opera company Little Room Productions captivated audiences with ‘Arcana II,’ directed by Anna Kachina Scott. Set to the notes of a lone piano, whose tones are sometimes powerfully haunting and at other times uplifting, ‘Arcana’ focused on one man’s long night with the fascinating secrets of Tarot cards. Each card he chooses is brought to life in the following scene, to showcase a myriad of real-life modern representations of individual Tarot figures. The audience was taken on an emotional rollercoaster featuring scenes fraught with tension and heartbreak, to scenes flavoured with comedy or hope. These snapshots of lives were accompanied by operatic singing in a variety of different styles. The singing was successful not only due to the excellent vocals, but because it crystallized the potency of singing as a medium for deep self-reflection in theatre.
The Tarot master, played by Harry Benfield, offered an expert cocktail of wit, melancholy and humour in his dramatic soliloquys that explained the meanings of the cards, vividly suggesting the diversity of human experience. His only company was, appropriately, the audience, who were invited to participate in choosing the next card in a clever reversal of the traditional Tarot reader role.
The word ‘Arcana’ has two definitions: a deep secret, or a word used to refer to a particular group of cards within a tarot pack. The opera expertly fused these two meanings together in a series of scenes that deeply dug into the souls of individuals in unstable situations. Memorable moments included off-stage whispering by the cast to represent the inner demons of an anguished lover (representing the card ‘Devil’), or the whimsical dementia of an elderly lady (representing the illusory ‘Moon’).
A poignant moment in the opera was the scene exploring the ‘Death’ theme; which, as the Tarot master reminds us, does not necessarily mean physical death but can also represent radical change. It was performed by Pete Stuart and Anna Kachina Scott, and was the only scene to feature a duet, albeit in a split-stage format. It was beautifully composed by James Prideaux, and described the death of a loving relationship. Two separated characters in a duet conveyed the striking isolation and passion that ‘Arcana’ seeks to present, and the overwhelming sense of being lost in the pathways of life. The simple props, setting and costumes used throughout the opera, and comparative lack of make-up, encouraged the audience to identify more closely with the naked realities of self-discovery presented. The Tarot has an old history; props used such as laptops and smartphones fused the complexities of modern life with timeless human issues.
‘How can you visit the Devil and come back still knowing what’s down there?’ – the Tarot master’s moving address to the audience inevitably made us feel part of the mysticism. In acting out the various themes, the performers appealed to the different selves of an individual. This alternative opera was ultimately a huge success, with a take-home message of acceptance of the multiplicities of your fate.