Wilson's 'moby dick': a descent into madness, reimagined
Robert Wilson’s final, unsettling vision of Melville’s epic is less a retelling and more a plunge into a fever dream. It’s a brutal, beautiful, and profoundly strange experience – a fitting farewell from a titan of theatre.
Aha, the rabbit hole
The Brooklyn Academy of Music is bracing itself for the arrival of Robert Wilson’s ‘Moby Dick,’ a production that defies easy categorization. Collaborating with the formidable Anna Calvi, Wilson has stripped away much of Melville’s dense prose, opting instead for a visceral, almost hallucinatory interpretation. It’s a gamble, but one that promises a powerfully unsettling encounter with Ahab’s obsession.
Early reports suggest a radical departure from traditional staging. Bands of light, demanding performances of both stillness and explosive movement, and Calvi’s unsettling score all contribute to a world that feels simultaneously ancient and utterly alien. David Byrne, who introduced Wilson to Calvi, described the collaboration as “going down the rabbit hole,” a sentiment that perfectly encapsulates the experience.
Beyond the words
Wilson isn't interested in elucidating the novel’s complex themes – capitalism, masculinity, fate – he presents a lens through which to examine them. Instead of telling us what ‘Moby Dick’ means, he offers a landscape of fragmented dialogue, floating heads, and solitary pinnacles for Ahab to shout from. It’s a rejection of verbose exposition, favoring a more immediate, sensory engagement.
“All the things that made him Bob Wilson are represented in this project,” explains BAM artist director Amy Cassello. “There’s an elegance, a specificity of color and of light. Everything about his vision was so complete, and his practice so rigorous, that as an audience member, you’re absorbed in his world.” Helga Davis, a longtime collaborator, recalls piloting a spaceship to the opera’s peak, noting the minimalist gestures that somehow conveyed monumental human experience.
Calvi herself describes Wilson as someone who “always got me to do things I would never normally do,” recalling a casting session where she found herself rolling around on the floor with the other actors. This willingness to push boundaries – to dismantle expectations – is a hallmark of Wilson’s work.
A tender descent
Despite the daunting scale and intensity, critics are noting a surprising tenderness within Wilson’s final work. Calvi’s music, described as “brutally beautiful,” offers a roadmap through this challenging territory. It’s a departure from the often-proclaimed pretension associated with Wilson’s productions, revealing a project that is ultimately humane and profoundly moving – a final, unforgettable statement from a singular artistic force. As the shipowner says of Ahab: “It’s better to sail with a moody good captain than a laughing bad one.”