Reviewed by Jason Coleman
A worthwhile theater experience entitled "And Time Runs On"
is well crafted for the whole family, and three more
performances are scheduled this coming weekend at the Irish
American Heritage Center Theater.

The brevity and style is ideal for youngsters as well, and yet
all ages will find it a pleasant mix of storytelling, humor,
swordplay, romance, music, dance, and imaginative puppetry.

From the opening minutes in this creative encapsulation of
early Irish 'legends, gods, and heroes', the collaborative
talent of the ensemble cast is enjoyably apparent. The
staging and costumes, as well as the aptly appropriate live
music, draw the viewer into the midsts of yore, as a Charon-
like lamplighter ferryman leads the audience on a journey
through tales of Irish antiquity.

A slow motion battle ensues as the Celts arrive, driving the
Tuatha Dé Danann into their underground roles as weavers of
whimsy. Puppets and cleverly symbolic dancers are then
integrated into a sweep through simple yet effective
character foible fables also inspired by Yeats poetry.
Writer Anna Glowachi and Director Aaron Henrickson bring the
human element and timelessness of these scenarios to life via
their performers. Seeing real people in these roles adds a
vital connection to an Irish past.

The passionate cast has infused skill and a comfort level into
their understanding of the material. Each could be noted for
their particular benefit to the production, which included
the hauntingly silent Morrigan, the reoccurring sympathies of
comedic Fionn MacCumhail, the persistent Queen Maeve and her
smoothly choreographed warriors, and the inventive narrator
and meade-maid Cailleach. A 'harmonic' love story of Aengus
and Caer is beautifully told with dance, puppetry, and music
by the Andrea Else group.

In many cases the multipurpose
stage elements are well designed and in parallel with the
quaint utility of the production. Scenes that could easily
slip into stereotypes are constructed with an honesty which
allows items like flowing fabric, ivy braids, or a raven's
beak, to open the audiences mind to appreciate a mystic era.

Dragoncello Theatre Company and Shapeshifters Theatre are to
be commended for this youthful and energetic homage to Irish
literature. In a season where one can easily get lost
following the remakes of holiday fare, seeing "And Time Runs
On" is a delightful chance to enter the new year with a
reaffirmation of cultural pride and a recognition that the
future of the arts is in good hands.