By William Shakespeare
Directed by Jon Ciccarelli
The second installment in our "Mature Comedies" series brings us from the fictional countries of Sicilia and Bohemia to the quasi-historical doings of the Trojan War with Troilus and Cressida. A 'Romeo and Juliet' style romance of the title characters taken a few steps ahead, mixes together with a sword and sandle epic of the satirical style. Written after Hamlet, in 1602-1603, Shakespeare began exploring more tragic themes and motivations however, turning more known conventions on it's head. The story of Troilus and Cressida, unknown in Homer's work The Iliad, was a latter add on by medieval story tellers.to add some romance. Shakespeare's touch expands their story's lusty motivations and then lampoons the classic heros The Iliad. Set in ancient Greek period, this production mixes the long winded and comical, with satire and some romance with rousing Gladiator style battle sequences.
Performance Dates:
Wednesday, July 8, 7:30PM, Staib Park, Hackensack, NJ
Wednesday, July 15, 7:30PM, Staib Park, Hackensack, NJ
(Rain Date, Friday, July 17 7PM)
Thursday, July 23, 7:30PM,
(Rain Location Stratford Library's Lovell Room)
Plot Synopsis:
(Courtest of RSC website)
For seven years the Greeks and Trojans have been at war following the Trojan prince Paris' abduction of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, from her Greek husband Menelaus. The besieging Greek army is encamped under the walls of Troy and, at the point at which the play begins, the war has reached stalemate.
The Greeks are quarrelling amongst themselves. Achilles, their greatest champion, refuses to fight and has withdrawn to his tent with his lover, Patroclus. Ulysses tries to entice Achilles back to the field by arousing his jealously against Ajax, a rival warrior, whom he acclaims as their new hero and elects to meet Hector, the Trojan champion in single combat.
Equally at odds with themselves, the Trojans are debating the value of continuing the war merely for the sake of keeping Helen. Hector declares her not worth the lives she costs but when his brother Troilus contends that honour demands they continue to fight for her, Hector is brought round to his point of view.
Although the single combat between Ajax and Hector ends in a show of amity, hostilities are resumed the following day.
Troilus, however, is much distracted from these military concerns by his love for Cressida, the daughter of Calchas, a Trojan who has defected to the Greek camp leaving his daughter in Troy. The young lovers are eagerly abetted by Cressida's uncle Pandarus, who acts as their go-between. However, after only one night together they are parted when, in exchange for the captured general Antenor, Cressida is sent to join her father in the Greek camp. Almost immediately she betrays Troilus with the Greek Diomedes and, discovering this, Troilus is plunged into despair.
Despite his sister Cassandra's prophecies of doom, Hector goes into battle and is treacherously murdered by Achilles, who has finally been roused into action by the death of Patroclus. With the fall of Troy certain, Troilus, disillusioned as a lover, assumes Hector's role as the Trojan champion and vows revenge on Achilles.
Cast
/Patroclus/Myrmidon Colin McFadden
Agamemnon/Servant David Reck
Ulysses/Myrmidon Jennifer Mauerhofer
Nestor/Antenor Lee Goffin-Bonenfant
Pandarus/Priam Steven Bidwell
Aeneas/Helen Gina Depeppe
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