REVIEW: War and Sacrifice in theatre KAPOW’s stunning ‘Iphanalis in Aulis’
The war cannot end unless it begins.
A prophecy, an atrocious act and a man blinded by victory. Stakes and superstitions run high in the Great Trojan War on an exceptional beach…at an unfathomable cost.
Elemental is Theatre KAPOW’s current season’s theme. Their 19th season returns to basics and explores the power of nature in four distinct productions.
With Matthew Cahoon’s perceptive direction and stunning scenic design as well as Lorraine Chapman’s captivating choreography, theatre KAPOW presented Euripides’s Iphigenia in Aulis which ran for one weekend only from September 18 through 20 live and in person on the BNH Stage in Concord, New Hampshire. Trans adapted by Ann Washburn tying in classic and contemporary elements, this musically-inspired production ran approximately 100 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for Theatre Kapow’s upcoming productions.
A luminous full moon and a rippling setting sun are just a couple of Cahoon’s striking projections intensified by Tavya Young’s innovative lighting illuminating Aulis’s sandy shores. Strategically-placed clothing is inventively transformed and shadows of the sea and sail come alive inside pristine parasols. Symbolic wooden posts scatter along this beach under a rich sky.
From halo braids to iridescent, flowing and draped Greek-inspired gowns and faithful panoply and sandals to symbolic and translucent veils to colorful and trendier styles, costumer Barbara Holbrook balances these classic and contemporary visuals flawlessly. Samantha Griffin as Iphigenia is a particular vision while Greek chorus Samantha Autumn, Tracy Hickey and Olivia Krick stylishly turn heads without seeming stilted or out of place.
As peaceful as this setting may sound, Euripides’s classic is anything but peaceful as Peter Josephson as Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, wanders onto the beach. Josephson has a gift for bringing depth and sympathy to complex and polarizing characters and he makes it easy to sympathize with Agamemnon’s lament. The goddess Artemis demands Agamemnon sacrifice his favorite daughter to ensure victory in a war that has not yet started.
Barefoot, distressed and lost in thought, Josephson chooses his words carefully while expressing his inner turmoil. He turns to Alex Picard as Agamemnon’s brother and King of Sparta Menelaus for reassurance, but what Picard’s Menelaus returns is far different from what he is expecting.
Even if you know the story of Iphigenia in Aulis, this intense adaptation reveals new perspectives and much more.
Led by Josephson, Iphigenia in Aulis boasts a skilled and discerning cast as some members take on multiple roles during the production. Picard and Josephson share gripping chemistry as palpable tension and sibling rivalry take hold, leveling each other in deep seated resentment. Trusting, warm, wise and practical, Rachael Chapin Longo holds her own with Josephson and delivers a courageous and powerful performance as Agamemnon’s wife Clytemnestra, Queen of Mycenae. However, Samantha Griffin shines as Agamemnon’s favorite daughter who is not to be underestimated.
Adding context, meaning and atmosphere to this production is a trio of acoustic Greek folk musicians who narrate, participate and articulate a number of perspectives and observations through stirring original music by composer Jake Hudgins. Along with guitar and harmonica tinged rhythms, they muse, “Let this not come to me or my children’s children” and “Water flowing…an excellent daughter…let the winds blow.”
Having never witnessed this classic Greek mythical tale, Iphigenia in Aulis explores a great deal in its tense 100 minute timeframe. It does share moments of dark and clever humor while tackling war, cowardice, sacrifice, jealousy, ambition, obsession, betrayal, honor, and loyalty in a profound exploration of family and country where truth and integrity are so difficult to find.
Theatre KAPOW particularly excels at bringing something new to classic works and Anne Washburn’s final play Iphigenia in Aulis is an ideal work for Theatre KAPOW, delivering a unique and multilayered journey with a number of unpredictable twists and turns right down to its final shocking seconds.
Theatre KAPOW presented Euripides’s Iphigenia in Aulis which ran for one weekend only from September 18 through 20 live and in person at the BNH Stage in Concord, New Hampshire. Click here for more information and for further details on Theatre Kapow’s upcoming productions.
