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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, a production for young audiences onstage at Synchronicity Theatre through December 24, contains charm and magic not only in its story but in its performances. Because of the skill exhibited onstage, it will likely inspire a love for live theater in the children who come to see it.
It’s often forgotten, apart from improv shows, that one of the delights of live theater can come when something unexpected or accidental happens for the performers and crew during a show. Telling a story live, sometimes there are mishaps. In very good theater, a mishap can reveal the quality of the performers onstage and how prepared the production is to keep things going. Edward Tulane is very good theater.
At the December 10 performance of Edward Tulane, which centers its story on a beautiful china rabbit toy that passes from person to person, the toy prop itself lost one of its legs early in the performance. Actor Jordan Patrick, who portrays multiple characters throughout the story, was holding the toy and made effort to reattach the leg quickly — all while remaining in character as a kind-hearted fisherman giving the toy as a gift to his grieving wife (Gillian Rabin, also playing multiple roles). But the repair did not take.
Deftly adapting to the circumstance, Patrick changed the way his character held the toy and gave the other actors onstage small hints in changed dialogue about the defective leg. He did this without breaking the illusion of the story for the young audience and did not miss a beat, even when the leg came completely off, and he had to pick it up. He maintained the magic and the emotion.
That amount of dedication — the respect Patrick had for the story, the prop itself, his audience and his fellow performers — was terrific. He understood what to prioritize while doing his job and, by rolling with the changes, probably turned a group of small kids into lifelong theater fans right then.
The rest of the cast is equally skilled while telling this story. Each role in this Dwayne Hartford script, adapted from the Kate DiCamillo novel, comes with its set of challenges, yet they make complicated physical and emotional work look fun and easy.
At the beginning of the story, a grandmother (Dionna D. Davis) presents her granddaughter Abilene (Rabin) with toy rabbit, Edward Tulane, who has a china face, real fur ears and a change of outfits. The soul and personality of the toy, portrayed onstage in a performance of remarkable stillness and poise by B. Paul McClain, is vain and fussy.
Abilene adores Edward, but Edward only loves himself and wants only to see his reflection or the stars. But during a ship’s voyage, when he is lost at sea, the toy must come to terms with loneliness. And as fate tosses him from one owner to another, Edward learns the value of love.
Audiences, meanwhile, will learn about the common emotional threads among people, in spite of their class, privileges or backgrounds.
This show was enchanting. As actors shifted from character to character while facilitating scene transitions for the set, the skill of Director Mira Hirsch became abundantly clear. Costume changes, prop exchanges and even clever uses of shadow theater occurred at a steady clip, keeping the energy of the show lively.
There is not a weak link in the cast.
McClain’s stamina as Edward is admirable. He spends most of the show standing completely still on a platform, while wearing three layers of costume under lights, yet he shows no signs of fatigue. His character’s superior attitude largely is conveyed by his arched tone of voice, which softens as the character becomes more emotionally open. Plus, McClain imbues Edward with wonder and curiosity, which lightens the mood even when the story goes toward darker themes.
Rabin, who previously starred in the Alliance’s Darlin’ Cory as a transformed character, once again shows her skill at shifting gears. In Edward Tulane, she plays multiple roles, even an overactive dog, and all of them are distinct in their voice and emotional background. At different points, she’s heartbreaking, yet the story never feels too weighty for children.
Davis, one of the standout performers from Synchronicity’s The Bluest Eye, creates two characters here who are full of warmth and authority. She also serves effectively as the narrator of the show, giving the audience a strong storyteller they can trust and feel comfortable with. Even when Davis has to embody abusive characters, it never gets too scary.
Again, Patrick, who previously starred in Heathers at Actor’s Express, shows tremendous skill and charm here while playing multiple roles.
The show is also strong technically. The costumes from Linda Patterson are lovely, particularly Edward’s outfit. And the sky full of stars designed by Elisabeth Cooper is very effective, particularly during a key moment at the climax of the show.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a well-constructed, lovingly staged show. The story is full of heart, and it provides families with a nice alternative to holiday-centered stories.
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Benjamin Carr, a member of the American Theatre Critics Association, is an arts journalist and critic who has contributed to ArtsATL since 2019. His plays have been produced at The Vineyard Theatre in Manhattan, as part of the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival, and the Center for Puppetry Arts. His novel Impacted was published by The Story Plant in 2021.
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