Playthings of the Gods – a Repertoire

by Helen Homan Wu on July 24, 2010

Beautiful churches always stop me on my track. Situated on a peaceful residential street, the Christ Church of Cobble Hill may not necessarily stand out next to all the brownstones, but the postcard that said “Playthings Of The Gods” caught my eye. This seductive title drew me to go see one of the shows on Thursday. Produced by the Vertical Player Repertory or VPR, the “Playthings Of The Gods” series is the vision of producer/director Judith Barnes. I had little idea of what to expect for the show except for what’s given in its title–Love’s Labyrinth: Music of the Spanish Baroque. It was a gracious excuse for me to take a respite from the heat and chaos. The music was performed by Anima Baroque Music Ensemble featuring a soprano singer. Thirty minutes into the performance, my mind began to drift to a different time and place. Or as my friend described it, the whole experience was timeless and placeless.

Backdropping against the mystiques of a gothic vibe and being intimately close to the musicians, I was sucked out of my thoughts about work (etc.) and into…I guess as the title suggests: Love’s Labyrinth. Judith explains to me that this is only the prelude to the fully staged performance which will happen on August 19th in the same venue. It’s also a special way to experience this historical Brooklyn landmark (apparently the architect Richard Upjohn also designed the Trinity Church in downtown Manhattan). Tiffany also had his hands on this church, using his famous style of uncut semi-precious stones shooting enigmatic rays from all angles and the colorfully stained glass windows. Aside from all that, perhaps this would be a good chance to retreat away into a mellow and summery medieval evening.

Final Program from Playthings Of The Gods series:
Amor & Psyche: Romping through Love
Thursday August 19th, 8:00 PM