CHICAGO—When it first opened in 1993 at the Goodman Studio Theatre, the show was spectacular, and now—almost three decades later—“The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci” is still a wondrous, ingenious, whimsical, and stunning piece of theater.
Renaissance Polymath
In “The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci,” we are introduced to the Italian polymath who, because everything fascinated him, never spent a dull moment in boredom. Zimmerman captures the workings of Leonardo’s mind in such an engaging and compelling way that we can’t help but be drawn into his enthralling world. As the play unfolds, we are amazed by his artistic and scientific endeavors, his commentary on an array of natural wonders, his observations of people, and his intriguing recollections.Talented Players
Instructions on life from the Italian grand master come to life in the supple actions of the players. Here, there’s a lesson in anatomy with a detailed explanation of arm and height span, and the proportions of a human body are illustrated by two actors in the famous Leonardo sketch “Vitruvian Man.” Furthermore, the elements that Leonardo focuses on seem to pop out of designer Scott Bradley’s file cabinets that line the wall of the stage and suggest the compartments of the artist-scientist’s mind.Leonardo’s interest in the anatomy of the human body goes even further than just notating dimensions when he dissects a cadaver. He gives a lecture on the science of voice, which, when presented on a blackboard, turns into a harmonious rendition of an old song.
There’s also, as is typical of Zimmerman’s productions, plenty of humor. The scenes in which Leonardo compares painting to sculpture, with a reference to Michelangelo (1475–1564), suggest a bit of jealousy, as when he points out that what his artistic rival does with sculpture is not as significant as what Leonardo himself does with painting. The scene is made more comedic when one of the actors stands in the pose of Michelangelo’s famous “David” marble.
Expert Stagecraft
While “The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci” is a cornucopia of lush, evocative scenes, enhanced by T.J. Gerckens’s lighting, the most ravishing image of all is presented toward the end of the play when Leonardo’s lines of perspective are illustrated in a representation of his legendary painting “Madonna of the Rocks.” As the revival unfolds, there’s appealing original music by Miriam Sturm and Michael Bodeen, who is also the sound designer.One wonders why Zimmerman never brings up Leonardo’s most popular work, the “Mona Lisa.” Could it be that she thought the painting was so well-known that it would be overkill to bring it into the show?
While the stage artistry is stunning, Zimmerman also brings in Leonardo’s philosophical outlook, which offers an insightful look into the character of the man. By play’s end, we come to understand that Leonardo was concerned with the harmony and proportion of nature, intrigued by the way life transitioned into death, and thought that if one understands something completely, one can’t help but love it.