L.C. Kent and Jeremy Mahr in Oedipus Rex
Every summer, the outdoor Don Wooten Stage in Lincoln Park, Rock Island, hosts Genesius Guild's productions of ancient Greek dramatic works and Shakespeare's plays, as well as performances by a variety of musical groups – all free to attend. Genesius Guild is a wonderful community asset, offering classical theatre in a lovely setting. And while nature can be cruel, subjecting us to heat, humidity, and insects, it was delightfully cool and overcast during Saturday's season-opening performance of Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus Rex, aiding my comfort during that challenging dramatic experience.
For his Guild presentation, veteran director and actor Michael Callahan was wise to choose a translation by Ian Johnston, written in contemporary English, rather than an archaic version (i.e., one employing 17th-century "thou"s). We're also spared a script written in verse, as continued rhymes might've become irritating in a stage work lasting this long.
It's Guild tradition to stage one Greek play each season with actors in traditional theatrical masks, and this is that production. Bob Hanske constructed the Oedipus Rex masks, and Jacob Lund designed and painted these elegant, colorful costume pieces. A nice touch at the start on Saturday was the audience participation, with front-row theatregoers given leafy twigs, representing olive branches, to be raised when those onstage raise theirs. Olive boughs functioned something like demonstration placards for the mostly illiterate ancient Greeks – they showed them to figures of power to ask for help. So we, the audience, play suppliants, who are dying of plague and famine. (Thankfully, we don't have any lines.)
The onstage suppliants are the chorus – they don't sing, but do play the populace of Thebes. They also provide running commentary to the royalty and the audience. In this production, they use emotive, dramatic acting styles, perhaps as an expression of their collectively desperate state. This is in contrast to Oedipus and Creon, who usually employ straightforward, conversational tones of voice until the play's later scenes, when things get really tragic.
A seasoned actor of many local stages, Jeremy Mahr plays Oedipus, the king of Thebes. Brian Wellner, who, last season in the park, played Jason in Euripides' Medea and the title character in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, portrays the king's brother-in-law and advisor Creon. The god Apollo has told the royals that to end the people's suffering, they must find King Laius' murderer, so they've sent for Teiresias. Renowned local Shakespeare interpreter Jake Walker plays this blind prophet with entertaining contempt, taking an adversarial stance toward the king, because even though Ed asked him to come, he refuses to listen to what Terry says.
L.C. Kent, an actor new to me, initially plays Queen Jocasta with regal calm and affection. The actors remove their masks when expressiveness is key, and once Kent's comes off, she's effectively distraught in a deeply chilling way. And a shout-out to the young actors who play the daughters of Jocasta and Oedipus: Whitney Bergo as Ismene and Nadia Esparza as Antigone, the latter of whom doubles as Teiresias' servant. They did very well – keep it up, ladies!
Costumer Shannon Ryan worked her customary magic, supplying vibrant garb for the principals and the chorus, and appropriately shabby tunics for servants and such. Oedipus wore a white chiton (like a Roman toga), with a red and yellow over-garment including thin, glittery stripes and a large eye; Creon, a dark blue chiton draped with an olive cloth bearing light blue figures and a gold stripe; Jocasta, a springy pink and orange ensemble. The chorus wore striking garments of deep black with ragged hems and bright red drapes, suggesting blood-streaked mourning garb.
The actors' diction and volume, even the mask-wearers', were perfection. I heard every word, and that's not easy when voices are battling squeaky playground equipment, train horns, and PA announcements at the Hometown Heroes Baseball Classic. I'm impressed that these folks pulled together this major endeavor – two hours including intermission – in just a few weeks. My biggest production with this production was the pacing. A brisker tempo during long speeches, fewer pauses between some of the actors' words, and faster cue pick-ups would enhance the tension, and save the audience's keisters serving time on those hard seats.
Though many people know this story, I refuse to give spoilers, even on a 2,500-year-old play. But in service to the squeamish, I'll reveal that though there is an act of violence, it happens offstage and we only see a stained bandage. Regardless, this is your chance to experience a classic that's not staged all that often anymore.
Genesius Guild's Oedipus Rex runs in Lincoln Park (1120 40th Street, Rock Island IL) through June 15, and more information is available by visiting Genesius.org.
