Otherworldly ‘Pathe X’ Goes Sleepwalking With Dali

Robed figures with animal heads, a cloaked woman using her former husband’s head for a bowling ball, Sigmund Freud wearing a miniature doorway over his face--these are only a sample of the fanciful creations that populate “Pathe X,” Ricardo Zeger’s dramatized descent into the art and mind of Salvador Dali.

Taking to heart Dali’s assertion that dreams constitute the great vocabulary of surrealism, this strikingly original new production from Zoo District at the Lillian Theatre traces the uneasy sleep journey of a playwright (Jon Kellarn) as he searches for a stolen moon in a cryptic and densely symbolic wonderland. Along the way, he’s guided (or misguided) by the manifestations of various surrealist artists, including painter Leonora Carrington (Christine Deaver) and Dali himself (played by Joe Seely, Ben Simonetti and Patrick Towne at various stages of his life).

Anthony Sandoval’s staging employs stunning visual imagery and movement to draw us into a subconscious world. Drawn from actual surrealist paintings, the characters are brilliantly realized by Kara Feely’s costumes and Paule Lemasson’s masks. A haunting original score by Jef Bek, and Eric Snodgrass’ evocative lighting contribute palpable otherworldliness.

As presentational art, the production is a masterpiece. However, for anyone looking for narrative rather than associative structure, there are steep prerequisites to making sense of this specialized work. Zeger assumes an intimate knowledge of the surrealist movement, as well as Dali’s life, politics and submissive worship of his domineering wife, Gala (Teresa Corchete). When Dali proclaims the only difference between himself and a crazy person is that he isn’t crazy, viewers without the keys to this dream kingdom will have a hard time seeing the distinction.

* “Pathe X,” Lillian Theatre, 1076 N. Lillian Way, Hollywood. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Ends Nov. 4. $17. (323)769-5674. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes.