By CARRIE NEAL
A Seat on the Aisle
The problem plays of Shakespeare are having a banner year of representation in Indy theatre.
The term “problem play” actually has multiple interpretations, but perhaps the most widely recognized definition is that of a piece which eludes easy classification. Is it a comedy? Is it a tragedy? Tragicomedy may be the simplest label to apply, but of course the works of Shakespeare are far from simple.
For the uninitiated (there may be fewer of these than I realize), the love story of Troilus and Cressida only constitutes a small part of the plot. This is a story of the futility of war, specifically the Trojan War, and the primary players are the leaders of the Greek and Trojan armies and their soldiers.
See Jack Tiehen as Troilus with Hannah Embree as Cressida now through Oct. 15 at The Cat in Carmel. (Photo by Rob Slaven / IndyGhostLight.com)
Director Zach Stonerock has created an edgy concept for this piece, as anyone who’s seen the cool promotional photos already knows. Our heroes and heroines are clad in a lot of black, leather, plaid, and even trash bags, and it’s a dynamite look that’s been created by costumer Samantha Kelly. Applause also goes to the set design and set decoration, a collaborative effort by the production team and cast, which is less spare than many I’ve seen for Bardfest in the past. With the lengthier run time of most of these productions, it’s nice to have so many spots of visual interest to rest one’s eyes on.
The cast is uniformly strong, but to single out a few: as Troilus and Cressida, Jack Tiehen and Hannah Embree are exceedingly well-cast. While her strong stage presence and energy isn’t completely matched by his, their chemistry as a stage couple is electric. As Pandarus, Cressida’s controlling uncle, David Mosedale ricochets convincingly between frenzied scheming and world-weary disdain.
The mellifluous voice of Tristan Ross seems tailor-made for declaiming Shakespeare, and some of Ulysses’ machinations made my skin crawl exactly as intended. As Thersites, the engaging narrator/messenger, Sarah Heider brings much-needed levity. And while their roles are so small as to almost be cameos, Audrey Stonerock as Cassandra and Abigail Simmon as Helen are both standouts.
The blessing and the curse of Indy-area theatre is that there are more excellent offerings than one aspiring theatergoer could ever hope to see, and that’s especially true during Bardfest. Troilus and Cressida, though more frequently done this season than others, is a piece one won’t have many opportunities to see and well worth the time.
As part of Bardfest, Troilus and Cressida will play at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel, through Oct. 15. Tickets may be purchased online at IndyBardFest.com.
Read more great play reviews from A Seat on the Aisle at asota.wordpress.com.