Union College Theatre Brings Success to Tragedy
A review of Hecuba, by Jonathan Hendrickson

Haley Bowling, as Hecuba, is surrounded by the chorus of Trojan women (Left to right-- Elizabeth Chavies, Penny Mills, Gabrielle Mellendorf, Elizabeth Lambdin, and Brittani Newman) during a rehearsal of UCT's production of Hecuba. *Click photo for larger picture

It is full of violence, it is hauntingly dark, and tragic flaws abound. But this Greek Tragedy is only a tragedy in the literary sense of the word. Union College Theatre's production of Euripides' Hecuba is a smashing success and one not to be missed. From a brilliantly produced video collage to unforgettable performances by previously unknown actors UCT shows again and again the senselessness of war and the heartache it is bound to bring.

In this tragic tale, we meet Hecuba, former Queen of Troy, just after the Greeks have destroyed her city and she has fallen to the station of slave. We witness her horrible descent as she is dealt blow after crushing blow and sinks further and further into despair and desperation, culminating in a terrifying transformation from human to animal.

This is a dark story, and Director/Producer Rebecca Pettys once again deftly wields her paintbrush as she creates a memorable picture of classic Greek Tragedy. Utilizing a stark set, a haunting musical theme, and masks that detach us from the larger than life characters portrayed on the stage, Pettys sculpts her show into a beautifully rendered "nightmare" of tragedy and art. Her chorus moves with purpose and grace, working to weave the tale with their voices and scarves, and as mentioned before there is a brilliantly produced video collage that words will only spoil. Although all of this looks effortless, it is clear that much care and thought have gone into this production.

But good direction & good production are only as good as the actors can carry it. Here again UCT does not fail. With the help of beautiful poetry and sharp direction the cast of 17 work together to tell a story that will follow you home. Although this play is entitled Hecuba, & is primarily her story, the supporting cast give memorable performances that are too many to mention; however, four of those performances demand praise. Polyxena, played by Ashley Bowman, is given a level of grace and innocence that makes her sacrifice painful and tragic to watch. Jon Cooley's performance of Odysseus is the perfect blend of cold uncaring politic that we see in so many of our modern day leaders, and will make any audience member cringe as he casually dismisses another's sorrow. Dan Covington returns to give life to the character of Agamemnon once again, and once again he rises to the occasion. Not as cold as Odysseus, Covington's Agamemnon is full of subtle emotion that is only allowed to rise as high as his nobility allows. Using Euripides' language Covington delivers his speeches with ease and grace giving a modern day cadence to an ancient story. Then there is the character of Polymestor, played by newcomer Jason Middleton. An absolutely stellar performance from Middleton breathes life into a wretched man, who is made more wretched at the hands of Hecuba's fury. Middleton bares his soul to the audience and wrenches pity where there should be none. Holding nothing back, he gives an exhausting show of anguish and rage that will be on everyone's tongue as the curtain closes. If the story wasn't called Hecuba Middleton would be the star.

But the star of this one is Hecuba. And what a star she is. Portrayed by Freshman Haley Bowling, this performance is one of the best in UCT's recent years. Bowling gives a powerful resonant voice to this broken woman. Her transformation from heartbroken queen to raging animal is not to be forgotten, and there is not a weak spot in her two-hour descent of horror. But what stands out the most is the freshness with which Bowling delivers this descent. What could be a monotonous litany of wailing and sorrow becomes, at the hands of Bowling, a series of stabbing blows. Emotional wound after emotional wound, Bowling makes her audience feel each one, and that is an accomplishment that should not be overlooked. I stand and applaud, and look forward to more.

So, if you are looking for something dark, violent, and tragic this season, look no further than UCT's stage. The cast is incredible and the production is amazing. In a word…wow! As I said before, do not miss this one. You still have a chance to see Hecuba for yourself. Tickets are on sale for October 29th and 30th with curtain at 8pm.

November 2, 2004

[Top]