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<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><br>
</span></b></p><p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino">IPHIGENIA 2.0 assaults the senses at Cleveland
Public Theatre</span></b></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino">(Member,
American Theatre Critics Association & Cleveland Critics Circle)</span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">In IPHEGENIA IN AULIST,
which was written by Euripides, the classic ancient Greek writer of tragedy,
Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek coalition is about to enter into a battle
during the Trojan War.<span style> </span>In order to
appease the goddess Artemis, and encourage his troops to go into the battle in
honor, he sacrifices his daughter, Iphigenia.<span style> </span>Euripides uses tragic irony, a writing device in which the
audience knows the tragic hero is making a mistake, even as the character is
making it, to envelop the viewers in the action.<span style> </span>We know he is making a mistake but are powerless to stop
him.</span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">In IPHIGENIA 2.0, which
is now in production at Cleveland Public Theatre in collaboration with Oberlin
College, writer Charles Mee offers a reconsideration of the Euripides
tale.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Mee, using free-wheeling
lyric prose, asks many philosophical questions about honor, war, the forgotten lessons
of history, and life.<span style> </span>His device
is to parallel the Greek wars and those of the modern middle east conflicts. </span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Though he doesnt state
it in the script, Mee might have been asking, when George Bush, Dick Chaney and
the rest of the old white male neo-cons committed this country to the Iraq war,
what were they personally willing to sacrifice?<span style> </span>Did they offer to give the lives of their daughters for a
cause they believed in?<span style> </span>What were
the personal consequences of their drive for confrontation?<span style> </span>Were they really tragic heroes or just
tragic?</span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino">On one level, the story concerns Agamemnon, who
convinces his troops that the war they are embarking on is worth the sacrifice
of many lives.<span style> </span>The troops, in
turn, ask their leader to give something up, something of personal value in
exchange.<span style> </span>Agamemnon sacrifices
Iphigenia, his beloved daughter, to show his conviction.<span style> </span>When his wife Clytemnestra finds out
about the plan she becomes frantic.<span style>
</span>Iphigenia, upon discovering the plot, offers herself as a statement of
purpose of a meaningful life. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The other side of tale offers some vague references
about the Middle Eastern war.<span style>
</span>Unfortunately, Mee leaves the parallel somewhat vague.<span style> </span>Ideas are hinted at, even lightly said,
by not made totally clear.<span style> </span>The
audience really has to dig to make the stories analogous.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Mee claims he doesnt write political plays.<span style> </span>In my mind, thats the problem.<span style> </span>If he had drawn a clearer parallel
between the decisions made by Agamemnon and those made by Bush/Chaney, or any
other leaders who commanded conflict, but gave little beyond words as their
sacrifice, the script would have been more meaningful. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The production, under the direction of Matthew
Wright, is generally absorbing.<span style>
</span>The staging, which is done in a runway format, in which the audience is
on both sides of the playing area, with the actors in between, provides involving
visualizations.<span style> </span>The visual ideas
are well developed through good blocking.<span style>
</span>But, unfortunately due to the high ceiling and poor acoustics in the
Gordon Square Theatre, lots of words get lost.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The hearing problem is made even worse because the
actors tend to show strong emotions by screaming lines, often with poor
diction.<span style> </span>In addition, some of the
cast, mainly the male soldiers, speak very rapidly in harsh muted voices, thus
obliterating their words. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Tom Woodward does a nice job of developing the
conflicted Agamemnon.<span style> </span>Aaron
Profumo makes for a physically right Achilles, Iphigenias betrothed.<span style> </span>Marina Shay is fine as
Iphigenia.<span style> </span>Though her seduction
scene of Achilles is convincing, Hallie Haas, with distracting hair flopping
over her face, is generally out of control as Clytemnestra, failing to texture
her lines.<span style> </span>She has one level of
idea development--yelling.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Holly Handman-Lopezs choreography of the fight and
wedding scenes were well planned and executed.<span style> </span>Inda Blatch-Gelbs set, vertical banners and a floor covered
with pictures and symbols, was visually appropriate.<span style> </span>Richard Ingrahams musical selections were excellent, but,
due to the poor acoustics, maybe body microphones should have been considered.</span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Capsule judgement: IPHIGENIA 2.0 is a
thought provoking, emotionally insightful piece of theatre that assaults the
senses.<span style> </span>It may be too abstract for
some theatre-goers.<span style> </span>Since I saw a
preview performance I can only hope that the projection problems and some
over-the-top acting will be reigned in as the run continues.</span></i></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p style="color:rgb(204,51,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;text-transform:uppercase">Iphigenia</span><span style="font-family:Palatino"> 2.0 runs Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday
through April 28 at 7:30.<span style> </span>For
tickets call 216-631-2727 or go on line to <a href="http://www.cptonline.org/"><span style="text-decoration:none">www.cptonline.org</span></a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(204,51,204)"></span><br>
</span></p>