Trojan Women explores the aftermath of war
Whether the telling is ancient or modern stories of war will always be a stubbornly relevant topic and the University of Calgary drama department’s production of Trojan Women seeks to make connections between the conflicts of the classic age and modernity.
Adapted from the source material by Canadian playwright Gwendolyn MacEwen the story centres on four characters living in the harrowing aftermath of the decade-long Trojan War: the mythical beauty Helen (Riah Fielding-Walters) who’s now on the losing side; Hecuba (Lara Schmitz) erstwhile Queen of Troy and mother and grandmother to dozens of children; Cassandra (Kaye Booth) cursed with the power of prophecy that no one believes; and Andromache (Sarina Sorensen) who has lost almost everyone who mattered to her.
The tale was originally penned by eminent tragedian and Greek “bad boy” Euripedes.
“He was criticized for examining victims and women and he took a critical approach to the way he depicted the gods and humanized them in a way that hadn’t been done” says director Melissa Thomas.
“One of the biggest rules he broke was starting this play off with devastation and despair and then it gets worse” she adds explaining that Trojan Women differs from traditional tragedies which start on a high note before crashing down.
MacEwen offers a modern though no less poetic take on the story and Thomas’s direction does it justice. Despite the bleak subject she’s strived to create a visually beautiful play by incorporating physical theatre — the cast totals 22 actors comprised of the seven principal characters a traditional chorus and an unconventional “movement” chorus which among other things transforms itself into the Trojan horse.
“I hope young people come to see this play and realize that we have a say and a responsibility in what goes on in this world” says Thomas. “[This play is about] what happens when people get isolated from each other and lose that connection to their community.”
Nonetheless Thomas maintains that there is a glimmer of hope at the heart of Trojan Women .
“[It’s] an examination of the human capacity for survival and the ability to endure” she says. “There’s a cycle pattern to war and this play gives voice to this pattern.”
