Downstage Calgary’s Botticelli in the Fire is Breathtaking
Botticelli in the Fire, produced by Downstage with the support of Hit and Myth. Photos by Jarrett Edmund.
Have you ever wondered what the Renaissance would have looked like with weekend long orgies, playing squash like its Challengers and texting each other? Then Downstage and Hit & Myth Productions have a treat for you with their production of Botticelli in the Fire.
Exploring the cultural uprising and conflicts of the Renaissance, Jordan Tannahill’s story takes you on a journey following a young and restless Botticelli and his flock of friends, Leonardo and Poggio, through the rise and fall of Botticelli, all themed around one commission of painting Lorenzo de' Medici’s wife, Clarice — the ever-so-beautiful Birth of Venus — and a religious uprising against queerness.
The rest was history, maybe-not-so literally. For the historians out there, don’t go expecting a fact-for-fact imitation of texts. Rather, this is an act of catharsis for the ‘poster child’ of his generation. A queer and feminist re-telling of history, the politics of art and desire are at the forefront of Botticelli in the Fire.
Now picture this, Sandro Botticelli has walked in front of you with a wine bottle in hand slurring about how this “isn’t a vanity play, it’s an extravaganza.” From that point on, you’ve fallen in love. Eric Wigston’s performance as Botticelli is a delight for sore eyes. Don’t know anything about Botticelli? For the unaware (like myself), the ensemble tells you a great deal about him in the opening number. Described as “the greatest sinner of all, he had a huge talent — oh what a great painter he must have been” and as he says himself, “I wanted to live so bad, I was afraid of the void.” Ferocious, bold and soulful… you get the gist on who Botticelli is, and Wigston’s performance is everything.
As the first act follows and we learn more about the cast, standout from the ensemble are Leonardo and Clarice. Ethan Vasquez Taylor’s performance is nothing short of exceptional. From his first appearance, his shimmer red boots catch your eye and I wish you good luck to try and take your eyes off him when he’s on the stage. His relationship with Botticelli is so intensely special, their exchanges are immensely soulful. Sydney William’s undertaking of Clarice is terrific. Clarice is a reflection on the patriarchal nature of the Renaissance, she’s a woman who speaks her truth and chooses for herself. William’s performance carries on this weight of femininity so gracefully. The muse behind one of the most beautiful paintings of its time, Clarice is brilliant.
Leo and Clarice are showstoppers, Taylor and William’s delivery paired with their debonair is such a memorable sight. You cannot help but be drawn to them in every scene, regardless of whether they’re the main focus of the scene or a side character in the back.
The dialogue and the delivery throughout the production is what makes it so special. It’s unapologetic modern queerness. I mean, who would say “you’re a little queer queef” during the Renaissance era? The contemporary relatability reels you into a much deeper discourse of identity, it’s truly remarkable. It’s deeply introspective and much intricately nuanced in its queerness which shines throughout the story. Rebecca Toon’s costume design is nothing to scoff at. At times, I found myself eyeing the clothing instead of watching the play and Poggio, played by the loveliest Zachary Parsons-Lozinski, is the reason why. The moment Poggio walks on the stage, you’re left in awe of the strikingly queer composure of his outfits paired with his sickening delivery and it’s a treat, whether he’s luminous brat greens or a nun, he’s got it all.
The relationships in Botticelli in the Fire are breathtaking, especially Leonardo and Botticelli’s. Their duo had some of my favourite moments throughout the play. Quippy at times, heartwarming and so romantic. There were times I felt my eyes tear up as the story built a conflict between desire and survival, their romance is so pure in a time where a romance like theirs is considered sin.
Botticelli in the Fire is everything I wanted to see from theatre — grandly intimate, burlesque and noir at times. Maybe it is another “tortured f*g sob story” as Botticelli says in his opening monologue, but it’s so beautiful at the core you can’t stop yourself from falling in love with the characters. If you get a chance to see it, you’re sure to be swept up in a sweet journey through the streets of a modern-day Renaissance.