Squirrel's Treehouse - Charleston, SC
November 21, 2012
Brad - A++
Chelsea - A++
Few things leave me speechless in this world; this production was one of those things. The actors, the script, the love - everything was amazing. But I am getting ahead of myself.
By the third month of our project, we had located a feasible, live production of every Shakespeare play. But as you can imagine, life interrupts. So, as Thanksgiving approached, one play remained elusive: Troilus and Cressida. Then the sky opened, the heavens sang, and a group of our friends --- best friends --- from Charleston agreed to put on a production of Troilus and Cressida.
I was told there were auditions. I was told there was a rehearsal. And I was told to bring wings and beer.
So, the day before Thanksgiving --- two full days before our deadline --- we got up, drove to Charleston, South Carolina, gathered some supplies, put on our finest, and anxiously awaited the curtain:
- Brad-lus
Now for Chelsea's take. A-Maz-Ing! Best, and probably the tipsiest production we have seen!
Let me just start with a literary scholar Joyce Carol Oates quote so you see what these poor dears got themselves into:
"Troilus and Cressida, that most vexing and ambiguous of Shakespeare's plays, strikes the modern reader as a contemporary document—its investigation of numerous infidelities, its criticism of tragic pretensions, above all, its implicit debate between what is essential in human life and what is only existential are themes of the twentieth century. ... This is tragedy of a special sort—the "tragedy" the basis of which is the impossibility of conventional tragedy."
Yeah, its hard!
A quick synopsis of Troilus and Cressida: So, during the Trojan war, Troilus, a prince, falls in love with Cressida, the daughter of a priest. Trolius is helped in wooing Cressida by her cousin, Pandarus. Cressida's father, who is kind of a jerk, exchanges a prisoner for his daughter to a Greek commander. Troilus follows her to the Greek lord's, Diomedes', tent and overhears her saying she will be his lover. Troilus is crushed! Meanwhile, The Greek army is bummed and they think it is because their great warrior Achilles won't fight. Since he won't fight a less impressive warrior, Ajax has to fight Hector of the Trojans. When they go to fight a truce is drawn but the next day Hector and sad Troilus go into battle against Achilles. Achilles can't beat Hector in the battle but finds him unarmed later and slays him! Achilles then drags his body to the gates of Troy and the play ends with the whole city mourning him. It is a real upper!
A quick synopsis of Troilus and Cressida: So, during the Trojan war, Troilus, a prince, falls in love with Cressida, the daughter of a priest. Trolius is helped in wooing Cressida by her cousin, Pandarus. Cressida's father, who is kind of a jerk, exchanges a prisoner for his daughter to a Greek commander. Troilus follows her to the Greek lord's, Diomedes', tent and overhears her saying she will be his lover. Troilus is crushed! Meanwhile, The Greek army is bummed and they think it is because their great warrior Achilles won't fight. Since he won't fight a less impressive warrior, Ajax has to fight Hector of the Trojans. When they go to fight a truce is drawn but the next day Hector and sad Troilus go into battle against Achilles. Achilles can't beat Hector in the battle but finds him unarmed later and slays him! Achilles then drags his body to the gates of Troy and the play ends with the whole city mourning him. It is a real upper!
Brad and I showed up at the theatre early and dressed for the caliber of this production:
Our tickets only cost some Chick-fil-a nuggets and 2 gingerbread men:
As for the acting, it was so incredibly unique. To cast Dobby the house elf as the sought after lady love, Cressida, was genius! And, the fact that they could get Sean Connery to be part of this when he is so busy is amazing. My favorite directorial choice may be to have Rachel's character spin whenever entering or exiting. I felt like I understood that character! The costume design was perfection. Beard, swords (or machetes in some cases), and toga's (or bathrobes) really made this production come to life!! Basically, I can't think of a negative thing. It was truly wonderful and I am so glad this is how we ended this year!
Also, this acting troupe lives here, how amazing is that?
It was all in all a great weekend!! Thank you for those who made this such fun!!
-Chelsea
I am surprised you guys did not pick up on the similarities between Dobby and Cressida before the play. I thought it was actually a little cliche at this point.
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