A play only truly begins once the lights go down and the characters appear, but sometimes a set alone will let you know something about the story before the show begins. Such is the case with The Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s current production, The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood, which runs in the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College through March 22. The set alone—which stands bare as the audience is seated—tells us something about Penelope and her tale.
Some productions just work in the Severson Theatre, and The Penelopiad is a perfect example of a play that allowed scenic designer Abby Hogan to utilize the boxy space in a creative way. A massive curtain of drapery makes up the backdrop, which elicits thoughts of a large hall, a glittering cave, or perhaps even the underworld of Hades. Ropes fall from the ceiling, and at one point come together in a haphazard harmony, distilling the imagery of a gnarled olive tree. These ropes are also symbolic of the plight that most of the women in the story—Penelope included—find themselves in when dealing with the opposite sex.
The Odyssey is arguably Western civilization’s most cherished hero’s journey, detailing the harrowing exploits and fantastic adventures of the hero Odysseus. The Penelopiad sweeps away the fantastic curtain of myth and tells a real story of suffering and survival, love and devotion, loss and regret. We get to hear it all straight from our unlikely heroine Penelope (Elizabeth Stuart), who reveals sides of Odysseus that only a spouse could share.
Penelope appears to us from the other side. She is dead, we are informed, and so she can tell us the whole story, but, she is not alone in the underworld. Whispers invade the dreamy peace of Penelope’s spirit world, whispers which rhythmically become chants of hostility and despair. These are Penelope’s maidens, yoked to her in the underworld, though we do not know why. The collected skill of the ensemble cast of two-year students and acting interns is what makes the production truly great. Harmonizing, dancing, fighting, or performing acrobatics on a dime, these talented actors cover several characters each, from the doomed maidens to Penelope’s ravenous suitors.
To understand Penelope, we must understand where she came from. Her backstory is a fascinating one that colors her future decisions. Her wedding was arranged, and her hand was won after a footrace among young noblemen, with the crafty competitor Odysseus taking the prize. Atwood’s portrayal of Odysseus is not overly favorable but not exceptionally harsh. This particular portrayal of the great hero is met with much skill by Polly Firestone Walker, who actually served as assistant director under PCPA artistic director Mark Booher for the production.
The Penelopiad addresses many facets of the female perspective. While some appear almost modern—such as Penelope constantly being compared to her ultra celebrity cousin Helen of Troy (Karin Hendricks)—other moments reveal the true brutality and dehumanization that was commonplace in ancient times. These themes make the play unsuitable for young audiences, but tell of hard truths that go overlooked in the history books.
The dichotomy between the sexes in The Penelopiad is all the more fascinating because both sides are played by the all-female cast. The ensemble cast slip in and out of these characters with ease. Some of this is due to the creative costume design of Alycia Matz, which allows the ensemble actors to change from one character to another in the swish of a cloak. The set and costumes are brought together perfectly by the lighting design of Michael P. Frohling, who pulls every last pigment possible out of the grayscale set and adds poignant moments to the drama.
PCPA’s production of The Penelopiad is a fantastic example of the kind of big, sometimes ugly, ideas that can be grappled with on the stage. Though the story is quite dramatic, the comedic moments are contiguous, with the whole show revealing a playfulness that Atwood was certainly enjoying among all the drama. This playfulness is met by the cast and crew, though there are no punches pulled where gravitas is concerned, and the result is an engrossing and enjoyable show.
Arts Editor Joe Payne is always waiting for some gravitas. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Mar 12-19, 2015.