'Trojan Women' puts new twist on old tale

In ancient Greece, Euripides wrote “The Trojan Women,” one of the first plays to show the impact of war from the victim’s perspective.

Thousands of years and quite a few wars later, the UT Theatre and Dance department has given a modern spin to the classic tragedy.

Since last January, the department has been working to create a new adaptation of the play. In doing so, playwrights Meghan Kennedy and Kimber Lee collaborated with designers and director Halena Kays to produce something that is not only a fresh look at life after war, but also a showcase of many of the talented individuals in the department.

“Trojan Women” follows the story of a group of women at the end of the Trojan War, when their families have been killed, their statuses have been stripped and their worlds turned upside-down.

In order to lighten up the play, the new adaptation strives to bring conflict and resolution to the stage instead of the long and drawn out monologues of the original.

The writers and director also chose to search for humor and relief in the story.

This was a commendable effort, and the crying and emotional outbursts on stage are constant reminders that the story is still a tragedy.

“The girls in the chorus can tell you their name and their occupation,” Kays said. “They can tell you where they were, where they have bruises and they can tell you their stories.”

One way that the writers and director modernized the play is by having a live band of electric guitars and bass, drum and cello playing on stage during the production, something somewhat unheard of for a dramatic play.

The costumes also support the new, modern take on the plot.

“The costumes aren’t of a specific decade, but you get the sense that it is now-ish without being too particular,” Kays said.

The play also features quite a few unique and exciting special effects, which Kays hopes help will draw in the crowd.

“I want the audience to be inspired to see live performance,” Kays said of the decision to direct the play. “I think it creates a community unlike in film or television ... the exciting thing about seeing live performance is that you are seeing it with everyone else, going through it together.”

“Trojan Women” continues through the weekend with performances from Friday through Sunday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Oscar G. Brockett Theatre. Tickets are $20 for adults and $17 for UT faculty & staff, with $15 student tickets available online at utpac.org or by phone at (512)477-6060.
 

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