Get Them to the Greeks
George Heymont
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The
Huffington Post
Those who were forced to read the Iliad and Odyssey
in high school often wondered how Homer's epic poetry
could have any relevance to their lives. And yet, during
the past year and a half, Bay area theatregoers have
been treated to a series of new works inspired by Greek
mythology and great works from classic Greek theatre.
This summer, Bay area audiences had a rare opportunity to see fully-staged adaptations of both the Iliad and Odyssey in productions that varied drastically in size and style. Director/writer Jon Tracy is a theatrical wunderkind who, in addition to his work with Shotgun Players, is director of artistic development at SFPlayhouse. According to his bio "Jon Tracy is an unsubstantiated myth. He dreams big raconteur-like things and sings small raconteur-like dreams. He keeps meeting happiness for coffee and the coffee is good."
Last year, Tracy wrote and directed The Farm, a hugely successful adaptation of George Orwell's allegorical novel, Animal Farm. In August, he returned to John Hinkel Park with a new adaptation of Homer's Iliad entitled In The Wound. Once again, with minimal funding, Shotgun Players accomplished what many larger theatre companies could only dream about: creating a vibrant new piece of theatre that is relevant, accessible, and consistently thrilling.
In The Wound has 30 athletic actors constantly on the run performing what, at times, looks like a Greek version of color war. Tracy has updated the action from ancient Greece to August of 1944, labeling the Grecian Task Force's invasion of Troy as Operation Tyndareus. Although his soldiers first appear with bright red and blue plumage in their helmets, by the end of Act I, many are on crutches or limping across the stage with the help of aluminum walkers.
Whether Tracy's nurses/goddesses are pounding out rhythms on war drums or taking turns galloping across the stage disguised as a stag (seeing is believing), his imagination is so rich -- and so clearly articulated -- that he manages to make Homer's epic understandable to a modern audience that, like the ancient Greeks, has grown tired of constantly being at war. Tracy's wry, sarcastic writing also contains some golden comic moments:
"The other day I had lunch with the head of Medusa." "Oh yeah? How'd that turn out for you?"
Tracy has taken care to explain how the Trojan War resulted from the oath of Tyndareus -- a plan concocted by Odysseus, who describes himself as a "social mathematician" (the Greeks had all vowed to uphold the oath of Tyndareus, in which they swore to support Helen's choice of a husband and unite against anyone who tried to steal her away). Unfortunately, they had never considered the possibility that Troy's most rowdy lover, Paris, would abduct Helen from her elderly husband, Menelaus.
Family ties and sacred oaths being what they are, Agamemnon (brother of Menelaus) is quickly drawn into battle. Not even the sacrifice of his daughter, Iphigenia -- who was, for a very brief time, the wife of Greek's greatest warrior, Achilles -- can save him from years of war-torn misery.
Nina Ball's unit set features three towers (which hide musicians beneath camouflage netting) and a series of wagons that help with transitions while masking entrances and exits. Christine Crook's costumes range from simple Army fatigues to three amazing costumes for Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite that incorporate angel's wings made from the crutches of dead warriors. Brendan West's original score includes music for the waterphone, harmonium, and wind chime. I'm pretty sure I saw one Greek soldier playing a harmonica as well.
Tracy (who could easily become his generation's equivalent of Peter Sellars) has created a rollicking, walloping piece of epic theatre about the evil and stupidity of war. In addition to its literary and dramatic value (you've never seen paper planes make such a powerful anti-war statement), In The Wound is an impressive achievement in traffic control.
