“This one woman satirical tragedy sits on the cusp of exceptional.”
A Trojan Woman is on the edge of brilliant. Sara Carrington’s retelling of the original anti-war play, The Trojan Women, modernizes and recontextualizes the suffering of women in the wake of war. Under direction of Meghan Finn, Drita Kabashi gives voice to an entire catalogue of characters; from Poseidon God of the sea to Helen of Troy to a 21st century mother facing the loss of her child.
The set, lighting, and costumes are all very simple but effective. The props used to symbolize the various characters are well chosen, notably the chain which binds the wrists of Helen of Troy. The initial three spotlights create a memorable opening visual. Kabashi’s dress is beautiful and the coats symbolizing the modern day characters are impactful.
Despite an abundance of potential, the show’s emotional impact is frequently undermined by the type of overdramatic acting and writing typical of soap operas. Kabashi is not an untalented actress. Her ability to effectively portray a Greek chorus worth of characters is impressive and she is undeniably funny. Unfortunately, where she excelled in delivering the ‘biting satire’ Carrington intended, she fell short in her affecting real emotion. Her rapid fire pace detracted also proved an issue, not allowing the audience to properly take in and feel her words. She could stand to slow down and pull back in her expression to make it more organic and less forced.
Now I have criticized Kabashi but there are several points on which I must praise her. Her physicality is exceptional; every word is visible in the way she carries herself making her captivating to watch. Her use of the props to convey the various characters is brilliant, particularly the two umbrellas which represent two women acting as a Greek chorus. Above all, Kabashi’s portrayal of the prophet Cassandra is faultless. There’s a hurried insanity that bleeds into all of Kababshi’s characters, but in Cassandra it is mesmerizing and the perfect choice to tell of her suffering.
Carrington’s writing is powerful. Her characters’ each have a distinctive style, and her words convey the complex experiences endured in wartime. She tackles intense subjects and imbues them with an enraging lightness that would be brilliant if it were not the entirety of the show. Satire is one thing, but a full hour of discussing women’s suffering without really being allowed to feel it is disconcerting. There were points where we edged on feeling something but then we’d be rushed to something new, and it’d never really sink in. What was brilliant was her inclusion of the modern day mother, enabling her to emphasize the relevance of this nearly 3000 year old Greek tragedy in the modern world.
A Trojan Woman gives voice to the great suffering of women in wartime that has happened for as long as there has been war. From the Greeks to today, this story of grief and suffering has potential to be a powerful piece of satirical social commentary.