‘Loon’ Like Live Pixar At The Arcata Playhouse
Photo by Sean Dennie
OLD CREAMERY –Acclaimed physical theatre duo Wonderheads present a love story that whisks a man to the moon and back. Featuring larger than life masks, fantastical puppetry and a style that has been described as “live-action Pixar,” the Wonderheads bring their critically acclaimed production Loon to the Arcata Playhouse Friday, May 3.
Donning their signature oversized masks and propelled by questions of amorous proportions, the Wonderheads step into the life of a terribly lonely man and look for love. Francis, who is plagued by isolation and tickled by whispers of childhood imagination, has hit rock bottom and discovers that he has nowhere to go… but up. And up. And up! But will plucking the moon from the sky satisfy his deepest desires?
In this strange and beautiful story, the Wonderheads journey into the mysterious stuff of love and poke and prod its very nature. Why do we love? Is it necessary for survival? Do we serve it, or does it serve us? Coupled with whimsical puppetry, fantastical imagery and a splash of irreverence, the Heads take a step outside of reality and walk alongside it, discovering what we might learn by looking at things just slightly askew.
Created by co-artistic directors Kate Braidwood & Andrew Phoenix who are graduates of the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater MFA program and currently based in Portland, Oregon, Loon is their second full production with Wonderheads. The production has toured widely across Canada and the U.S. to raves from critics and audiences alike. Liz Nicholls of the Edmonton Journal said of the show, “It’s a simple, classic underdog story, the rediscovery of the sense of possibility. And it’s told with beautiful physicality.”
Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and 18 and under. They are available at Wildberries Marketplace and online at brownpapertickets.com or reserve at (707) 822-1575. The Arcata Playhouse is located at 1251 Ninth St.
