Blast from the past: House opens season with “Dave DaVinci" redux

The House Theatre of Chicago begins it's run of "Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe" this week. The show runs through Nov. 8 at the Chopin Theatre. For tickets and showtimes, visit www.thehousetheatre.com.

The paradox and possibility of time travel may be nothing new, but now there is a fresh take on the idea.

The House Theatre of Chicago went back in time Thursday for a house-warming party at their new Wicker Park residence with a reinvention of "Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe.” The theater company was at The Viaduct Theatre in Roscoe Village, where the original version premiered three years ago. Now House is at the Chopin Theatre where they’ve brought this science-fiction love tragedy back to life.

Dave DaVinci is a scientific genius who becomes consumed with inventing a time machine to prevent his science-fiction novelist daughter, Perdi’s, death. He suffers from hallucinations about the characters in his daughter’s best-selling books and also from his crumbling marriage with his wife, Nora, who he becomes emotionally and physically detached from. Dave teeters between his obsession with his invention, saving his marriage and whether or not he can prevent his past mistakes.

While there are characters and scenes reminiscent of Star Wars (such as a human-like robot and a large, furry animal manning a spaceship), “Dave DaVinci” uses science as a contrast to the uncertainties of life. This exceptionally written script by Jake Minton and Chris Mathews takes themes of love and free choice and skillfully weaves them within the science-fiction landscape. This isn’t a war to save the Empire but rather a battle between the mind and heart.

One of the fantastic features is the clever use of lights, sound effects and music. The flashes through time are well-mirrored by the flickering strobe lights and thunderous booms. There were a few timing glitches between the time travel sequences and the following scenes, and sometimes the constant transition between one time period and the next was exhausting. However, these glitches were nothing to take away from the emotion or storyline. The brooding music gave the show depth by drawing us into Dave and Nora’s agony and confusion.

The tandem of Stephen Taylor and Dennis Watkins reprised their roles as a past and future version of the title character. They allowed Dave to be the obsessive and grieving scientist while still providing remarkable comedic timing. While Dave is deeply toying with staying put in time or disobeying his future self to travel back to save Perdi, he clumsily keeps sliding down a chair. Stacy Stoltz, who also reprised her role as Nora DaVinci, stood out as a convincingly deteriorated and heartbroken woman. She scolds her husband for leaving in the middle of her performance, then reveals her despair when she repeats, “I can’t do this anymore.”

“Dave DaVinci” does not revolve around the fantasy of time travel. Rather it uses the fictional technology as a frame to the bigger picture. The play notably illustrates the battle between our limitations and capabilities and reminds us that changing our bad experiences changes our good ones too. This is one happy homecoming for House.

Edited 10/1/08 6:34 p.m.

Here is a clip of Stacy Stoltz as Nora DaVinci from House's 2005 production: