The Healing Powers of Water

Picture a world where only the oldest citizens have any memories of lakes or rivers or even rain. A land so hot and desolate that desperate people filled with despair writhe in suffering under an unrelenting scorching sun. This is the opening scene of the new Living Canvas show titled Rain that opens on July 1 at National Pastime Theater, a multimedia performance piece that explores the fundamental qualities of water as an essential element of life itself.

In one of the first scenes, an elderly shaman looks over the writhing sea of desperate souls and recalls a time when water was plentiful before greed and waste caused the waters to recede and the rains to stop. As the story unfolds, we are introduced to a variety of characters such as Hard Pan, Tin Mug, the Boatwright, and Cracked Pot, and through their narratives we learn about the plight of these people and their prayers for rain to refresh their bodies and restore their spirits. The journey is filled with a menagerie of new and exotic creatures that evolve and take shape before our eyes as we travel to a magical world beneath the seas. Eventually we hear rumbles of thunder in the distance and at long last the inhabitants of this desolate land experience the restorative qualities of water as rain begins to fall from the skies.


The final scenes of Rain are filled with joyous celebration as the characters laugh and play like children as rain pours from the heavens and forms luxurious puddles where previously there had only been parched earth. And by the way, the rain is real in this performance as a curtain of water cascades down on the nude performers as they cavort on stage bathed only in the glow of colorful projections. It is a primal exploration of the interrelationship between flesh and water and the experiences of the characters remind us of the things that are the very essence of life.

The Living Canvas: Rain is perhaps the most ambitious show this talented and creative group has done to date, and you will not want to miss this amazing combination of dance, music, projected images, and water. And remember that all Living Canvas performances include an audience participation segment, so if you remember carefree childhood days of playing naked in the rain or perhaps just want to experience the refreshing sensation of water on your naked skin while moving through a kaleidoscope of colorful images, be sure to see the show and join the cast for this simple yet liberating celebration of the human experience.