An army of crazed women will follow the Greek god of revelry and wine onto the stage of the Portland Performing Arts Studio Theater this Friday night, in the Mad Horse Theater Company’s production of the Greek tragedy “The Bacchae” by Euripides. The two act play, which director Christine Marshall describes as “brutal and to the point,” is a story of revenge, with themes of religion, unbridled power and conflict between the sexes.
The plot revolves around a cult leader (played by Joshua Stamell) who claims to be a god but is doubted by those in his home city of Thebes. His biggest doubter is the king of the city, Pentheus (played by Brian Hinds). The cult leader is in fact the god Dionysus, son of Zeus, who has been traveling back to Europe after building a following in Asia. Determined to return to the city of his birth and gain the worship of its citizens, he brings with him an army of women whom he has mesmerized into frenzied devotion.
King Pentheus is outraged by the women’s zealous rituals and goes to great lengths to prevent the women of Thebes from joining the cult, imprisoning those who show any sign of converting. The rest of the play has Pentheus fighting the will of Dionysus and trying to control the female population, who all eventually succumb to Dionysus’ power. The women leave the city and live as entranced savages in the forest, where they join the Asian women in their insane rituals.
Though the play was first presented in Greece around 405 B.C., director Marshall sees many elements that are still relevant today. She points to the cults that exist in modern society, noting that “The Bacchae” gives an unusual view of a cult in that its leader really is the god he claims to be.
Marshall also sees the play as a lesson about the consequences of unrestrained power. Pentheus rejects the advice of his people, who urge him to take heed of Dionysus’ warnings and acknowledge him as a god. Pentheus uses his authority to suppress those dissenting voices, and his stubborn denial leads to disaster for both himself and his city. Marshall sees a similar resistance to opposing viewpoints in current U.S. leadership, and posits that current events in Iraq may be a result of this.
Actress Reba Short, who plays one of the crazed women under Dionysus’ influence, sees “The Bacchae” as a moralistic play, with its portrayal of an authoritarian leader who goes against the gods. She praised the play for having a great deal of energy and life in it, but also said that its level of emotional force makes it a challenge for actors. The play begins with heightened emotions, she said, and only intensifies from there.
Marshall said Greek plays are a far less common choice for production in today’s theater companies than Shakespeare plays. However, the translation of “The Bacchae” they are working with is very straightforward and much easier for a modern audience to understand than a Shakespeare play, according to Marshall. With two acts and a one and a half hour running time, plus intermission, it is also relatively short.
The play’s portrayal of violence is very realistic, Marshall warns. “We’ll try not to get any blood on you, but don’t wear your nicest clothes” to the performance, she said.
Two USM alumni are involved with the production: Burke Brimmer as a cast member and Liz Chambers as stage manager.
Mad Horse Theater Company’s production of “The Bacchae” will have special preview performances this Thursday and Friday night. Opening night is Saturday, and the play will have a four-week run ending on Mar. 7. All performances will be in the Studio Theater of the Portland Performing Arts Center at 25A Forest Ave. in Portland. Times are Thursdays at 7:30, Fridays and Saturdays at 8, and Sundays at 7. Tickets are $16 ($14 with student ID); preview tickets are $10. For more information call 730-2389.
Brian O’Keefe can be contacted at [email protected]