Plan-B's 'Di Esperienza' intriguing look at da Vinci

"DI ESPERIENZA," through April 19, Plan-B Theatre Company, Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. 300 South, (801-355-2787); running time: 1 hour 20 minutes (no intermission)

The scope and breadth of Leonardo da Vinci is so vast that sitting down to write a review of a show about him is daunting enough — let alone, figuring out how to write a play.

Yet Plan-B Theatre Company commissioned playwright Matthew Ivan Bennett to write a piece about the Renaissance man as part of its 2008-09 season, which is dedicated to Bennett's works.

Ultimately, Bennett's "Di Esperienza," is an interesting and intriguing look into a legendary and iconic artistic figure.

The premise: Da Vinci comes face to face with three of his works of art to answer the question he asked hundreds of times in his journals: "Tell me if anything has ever been achieved."

The debating figures include da Vinci himself (Michael Brusasco); La Gioconda, or Mona Lisa (Tracie Merrill); Isabella d'Este (Teresa Sanderson); and Judas from "The Last Supper" (Kirt Bateman).

Besides the debate, Bennett's script also flashes back to different moments and encounters in da Vinci's life with all but Brusasco playing multiple characters.

Though it seemed to take Bennett a long time to introduce who the works were, I quite enjoyed the debates and found the concept rather intriguing.

The one thing the script lacks is a reason all this discussion is happening in the first place.

It's as if we are given an interesting painting with no frame. Did all the artworks happen to bump into each other and start dishing about their creator? Is this some type of hearing?

That aside, director Jerry Rapier has assembled a fine cast that not only handles the wordy material very well but is solid across the board.

With Brusasco's good looks and stature, his da Vinci is as commanding as you'd expect the artist/inventor to be, and his interactions with his works of art are enjoyable to watch.

Bateman is wonderful as Judas. Milking every jab to full effect, he is the perfect combination of snide, playful, passionate and angry.

Merrill and Sanderson are also great, and they handle their multiple characters well.

Randy Rasmussen's set, which consists of three hanging backdrops, is gorgeous. But Jann Haworth's costumes, a mix of Renaissance and contemporary garb with light-wash jeans, pink socks and robes, are distracting at times. And often, Jesse Portillo's lighting seems a bit too shadowy.

I found watching "Di Esperienza" to be a bit like reading the "Da Vinci Code" — I was dying to see the actual paintings being discussed. No doubt it was a deliberate choice not to show the works so as not to distract, but you might want to take a look at some of da Vinci's works before you go see the play.

Bennett should be commended for a tackling not only an entire season of varied subject matter — from "Frankenstein" to Japanese Interment to Leonardo da Vinci — but for giving these talented actors something juicy to sink their teeth into.

Sensitivity rating: Some implied sexuality.

E-mail: ehansen@desnews.com