Thursday began the 2 weekend run of Iphigenia at Aulis by Euripides presented by the University of Michigan Theatre Department. Written over 2,400 years ago, I was initially concerned that the play’s language would be difficult to understand and that the subject matter would be unrelatable to our modern age. However, within minutes my ears adjusted to the language, which was far less foreign than Shakespeare, and was drawn into a play which subtly stated its relevance through modern prop weaponry and costuming.
As the play begins, the Greek troops have become stuck at Aulis, impatiently waiting for the winds to change so that they may sack Troy and return Helen to her rightful husband. Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek troops, has been told that he must sacrifice his daughter to the goddess Artemis in order to change the winds. Using the false pretense of a marriage to Achilles, he summons his daughter to Aulis and to her death.
Blair Price (Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon) commanded a powerful presence on stage and was the clear standout of the cast. From her first entrance, where she portrayed the dutiful wife and excited mother of the bride, to the final tableau of the piece Price became Clytemnestra and at no times allowed her true self to show. Her most powerful performance was during her daughter’s, Iphigenia (Anaztasia Zavitsanos), monologue. As Iphigenia accepted her fate as a human sacrifice, Price’s eyes darted across the theater while her body remained completely still except for her deep panting breaths. The panic which appeared on her face was genuine, not merely an actress playing “panicked”. As her eyes darted across the theatre the slow realization was made that there was no escape from the situation. Again, this transition from panic to despair was not forced, rather the natural progression of emotion as she realized the gravity of the situation. Her tears, red eyes and runny nose sacrificed beauty for realistic portrayal of desperation and grief and as her daughter was murdered by her father’s hand, her shriek left a haunting silence in the auditorium.
The Greek Chorus transitioned between their function as an ethereal chorus and mortal women with surprising ease. These transitions were assisted by dance like movement choreography that drastically changed their bodies’ shapes from a natural resting position to a contorted position, clearly showing that these were not mortal beings subscribing to human behavioral norms.
Director Malcolm Tulip in collaboration with Costume Designer Kayleigh Laymon gave this production a modern twist by outfitting the Greek soldiers not in tunics but in camouflage pants and green fitted t-shirts with hand guns and rifles rather than swords. These updates made the piece feel more modern but a no times felt awkward as there were no direct references to a prop gun as a sword etc.
Overall this was a solid production with a clear artistic vision that felt appropriate and natural throughout the entire piece. Performances will continue April 9 – 12 at the Arthur Miller Theatre.
