Constance in the Darkness is great art from Open Eye Figure Theatre

Photo by Evan Frost

There are a number of truths about the Twin Cities theater community, and one of those is that no matter what Open Eye Figure Theatre puts together, it will be -- at the very least -- intriguing.

The company's mixture of high-class puppetry, top-notch performances, and deep-probes of the human psyche come together in the enthralling and brilliant Constance in the Darkness.

Constance (Emily Zimmer) is off exploring when she gets a series of frantic calls from her mother. Mom is lost and needs her daughter to help her get home. This leads Constance into an ever spiraling series of adventures that take her deep into her childhood. There, she finds an ally in Bobo, her beloved-but-certainly-broken-down beloved bear, and fights against the terrors of some of her less savory toys: Queen Harmonica and Lamby Lamb.

There's also a fairy godmother and a narrator tying all of this together. Most of the roles apart from Constance are played by Maren Ward, who once again does terrific work on the Open Eye stage. Ward moves from role to role like a whirlwind, driving the story always forward. (And don't expect any handholding here; you are going to have remained fully engaged with the twists and turns of the story to get the most out of Constance and her adventures.)

Created by Open Eye's Michael Sommers and Joseph Evans, <i>Constance in the Darkness</i> is an inventive ride that just makes you giddy to be alive and experiencing such great art.

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