Trojan Women at Jack Studio Theatre

Troy has fallen, the city is destroyed and only the mourning women are left with Prince Astyanax, who awaits his death. Everything hangs in the balance in Howard Colyer’s Trojan Women, a bleak and powerful retelling of life after the Greek army have destroyed Troy, told by the cast and crew of Nameless Theatre.

The gloomy stage is scattered with the dust of Troy, and burnt drapes and rubble adorn the set, casting the audience into a broken land of ash and embers. We are greeted with the howls and cries of the Trojan women, who grip grey masks to their faces as if they are statues of anguish set in stone, swaying eerily.

The acting is superb, the choreography of the women perfectly timed to create a sense of the mystical. There are some particularly moving monologues from Jacquie Crago. She is engaging and mournful in her portrayal of Hecuba, Queen of Troy, torn between striving on for Troy and accepting the women’s fate as prisoners to the Greeks. Another strong performance comes from Daniel Wiltshire playing Ulysses, beseeching in his role as the go between for the Gods and his army and despairing over his rowdy and bloodthirsty Greek army.

Where many mainstream films and plays focus on the action of the decline of Troy, it is refreshing to have a portrayal of the aftermath. James Farrell’s direction attracts the audience with tense fight scenes and desolate monologues, whilst Colyer’s words engage them with contemplation about the fairness of the Gods.

Whether you are a lover of Greek mythology, familiar with the story of Troy or not, Trojan Women will move you. A revitalizing start to the theatrical calendar and a must see.

Caitlin Middleton

Trojan Women is at Jack Studio Theatre until 2^nd February 2013. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.