Translated by Gambini and reportedly based on real events, “Agreste” is the story of soul mates Maria and Etevaldo, who fall in love across a fence. (Move over, Pyramus and Thisbe.) After breaking through this barrier, the couple live happily as husband and wife for 22 years in an arid region of northeast Brazil, until a tragic event confronts Maria with her neighbors’ bigotry. Amid an air of myth that abets a plot twist, the play reflects on prejudice and cruelty in a way that resonates for this country.
“Agreste” is told largely through third-person narration, which is shared equally by the ensemble: Raghad Almakhlouf, Irene Hamilton, Kate Kenworthy and Miss Kitty. Dressed in loose, peasant-style garb by costume designer Danielle Preston, all the actors do a terrific job keeping the pace bowling along, while varying the tone and stepping smoothly into the roles of various characters. Of particular note, Miss Kitty is a compelling stage presence, while Hamilton poignantly channels Maria.
Along with the storytelling, the production conveys a sense of ritual. On designer Giorgos Tsappas’s arresting set, an alley-style setup that suggests harsh landscapes with rust-colored surfaces, the actors often move in a stylized way — kneeling, pointing toes, running frenetically in a small area. It’s as if we’re watching a ceremony whose aim, we gradually understand, is to cast out callousness and nurture empathy.
Adding to the mystique is Colin K. Bills’s superb lighting, which draws us into an intimate relationship with the performers while conjuring fire, homey interiors and even the breach of the fence. At one point, shadows add grandeur and ominousness to a pivotal scene of domestic intimacy.
The assured staging reflects well on Elizabeth Dinkova, who became Spooky’s artistic director earlier this year and programmed the 2023-2024 season. The production is billed as the professional U.S. premiere of Moreno’s play, which has won major awards in Brazil. (Under previous leadership, Spooky also ventured into Brazilian theater, mounting a 2014 mini-festival devoted to Nelson Rodrigues.)
“Agreste” is also a welcome showcase for the talents of Gambini, who is associate artistic director at Studio Theatre. Staging a play that resembles a parable, he shares a fruitful theatrical harvest.
Agreste (Drylands), by Newton Moreno. Translated and directed by Danilo Gambini; sound design, Aria Velz. About 50 minutes. $37.50. Through Nov. 19 at Universalist National Memorial Church, 1810 16th St. NW. 202-248-0301. spookyaction.org.