The Mythology of War - An Iliad at Shadow Theatre

 Marc J. Chalifoux Photography

Last weekend I took in An Iliad at Shadow Theatre. The Iliad is an epic story from Greek Mythology recounting the battle of Troy. You've likely got some bits and pieces of it floating in your head, from Helen of Troy, to Achilles, to Odysseus, to The Trojan Horse. And of course, there's all those deities mixed up in it with vested interests: Athena, Apollo, Ares, and others. I'm very familiar, having directed The Penelopiad (the story of Odysseus' long suffering wife, Penelope) and having read Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles last year and just finished her more recent novel Circe. I felt a bit surrounded by the Myth, but familiarity does cultivate affection. 

At the centre of this production, is the poet, played masterfully by Michael Peng. Peng is an excellent story-teller and even injured and constrained in his movement he weaves a compelling tale about the Trojan War. I appreciated that this retelling does not pick sides but rather tells the tale from the perspective of both sides. We hear about Hector as well as Achilles. The poet sees and relates wrongs and triumphs of either side of the wall. He has been telling this story for centuries and we are getting the version that's a little under 2 hours. He tells us he's told versions that last several days. The weight of that underscores the shorter version we receive. 

 Marc J. Chalifoux Photography

You can't help but reflect beyond the mythology and think about the essential nature of war, in fact, Peng draws our attention to war in the world over our long human history up to today. The list feels endless and sadly incomplete. As we live in a world with increasing tensions, it is perhaps a kindness to reflect on war through the lens of an ancient mythological one. I certainly have thought a lot about war lately and how relatively safe we are in North America (and growing less so). There are many places in the world where war is first-hand and deadly, and while the play does not provide answers to humanity's ongoing conflicts, the recognition that both sides of any conflict are human is important. 

As I mentioned earlier, the story is well-told by Peng. He is also supported by the live score created by Erik Mortimer on a variety of instruments. The music and sound is thoughtful and supportive of the storytelling. Directed by John Hudson, the blocking is simple, yet effective, as it avoids distracting from the story. I guess with an uninjured narrator you could add more physical action to the story-telling, but I actually found it very engaging to focus on the images created by the words, and the emotion layered on Peng's face and in his voice. Set in a lonely bar (set design by Scott Peters), where all the best stories are told, the show relies on the best of story-telling, the testimony of "I was there, I saw this, and it was devastating." 

An Iliad is presented by Shadow Theatre and runs at the Varscona until February 8th. Tickets are $25-40 with several Pay-What-You-Can performances and they can be purchased here. 

Fun Fact: The crutches used in the show came from my garage! A call went out for wooden crutches and I happened to have 3 sets of wooden crutches hanging in there, as well as 2 sets of metal crutches... don't ask...