The tale of King Idomeneus is not an A-list Greek myth. In the Avengers-like supergroup that made up the heroes of the Trojan War, Idomeneus is most definitely Hawkeye. How lucky he must feel then, to receive a truly A-list production like the one that Sideshow Theatre has created at the DCA Storefront. Their production of German playwright Roland Schimmelpfennig's “Idomeneus,” directed by Jonathan L. Green, is visually stunning and intellectually rich: a deconstruction of mythmaking that still nonetheless feels classically epic. Even for those who don’t know the story of Idomeneus, (which is most people) the plot will seem familiar. On his way back from Troy, King Idomeneus of Crete (Cody Proctor) is nearly killed in a monsoon that consumes his entire fleet. Praying to the gods, he promises to sacrifice that first living thing he sees should he and his men be spared. Of course, once they land back on Crete, they are instantly greeted by the king’s son, Idomantes (Joshua Davis). Faced with having to murder his son, Idomeneus…. well, that’s where things get tricky. For every action there is a series of possible reactions, and Schimmelpfennig’s script plays through them all. The splintering of the traditionally efficient Greek tragedy is both playful riffing and sincere investigation of the classic tragic question: How does one escape one’s fate? (You don’t. But the fun is in watching you try.) Sideshow conjures up a 15 person chorus, out of which single characters, like Proctor as the King or Susaan Janshidi as his unfaithful wife Medea, emerge but never really break free. Almost every linge of dialogue is spoken by at least two actors, while most narration is done in groups of five or six. This is not your average kitchen sink American realism. This is an epic poem for the modern world, told by a whole group of Homers. As we've come to expect from Sideshow and Green, the play’s set, by Joe Schermoly, is absolutely gorgeous. The floor is a colossal sandbox and the back wall is a tall, cresting wave of wood paneling. It creates a mood and a setting while never settling for literal interpretation. Unlike so many plays now available, “Idomeneus” is a show that engages the audience’s imagination. If only more artists were so brave.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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