So begins “Helen,” a unique comedy about Helen of Troy by Ellen McLaughlin, who has adapted a play by Euripides and riddled it with modern questions about celebrity, destiny, beauty, womanhood and war.
It will be performed at HSU for two weekends, Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM, March 27-29 and April 3-5, in the Gist Hall Theatre.
During the play, Helen is visited by other victims of the gods, and one of the goddesses herself, while carrying on a seesaw relationship with the only person she knows here, an enigmatic Egyptian servant, who is also a storyteller.
By play’s end, Helen discovers the truth about her situation, her husband, her “lover,” herself and the Trojan War. She learns how separate she is from her own image, and how rescue can’t come from anyone else.
The HSU production is directed by Margaret Thomas Kelso, professor in the Theatre, Film and Dance department. She is also a playwright — her play “Relative Captivity” was produced at HSU last semester. She selected “Helen” for her directorial debut at HSU because “I was looking at plays that dealt with war, and I was also looking at plays that dealt with women’s issues, and when I found “Helen”, it dealt with both. And as a bonus, it’s a comedy!”
Helen is played by Darcy Daughtry in her first appearance at HSU, though she is familiar to local audiences from productions at North Coast Repertory Theatre, Ferndale Repertory Theatre, Vagabond Players, Shake the Bard Company and College of the Redwoods.
The other four characters are played by HSU students.
Missy Hopper plays Io, the unfortunate victim of a run-in with Zeus, who is recovering from being turned into a cow. Johanna Hembry is the goddess Athena, cynical and superior towards Helen. Erik Rhea is Menelaus, Helen’s Greek husband, disillusioned by the Trojan War. Leslie Ostrom is Helen’s enigmatic Egyptian servant.
“Helen” is by contemporary American playwright Ellen McLaughlin, who teaches at Barnard College and is also an actor — she was the original Angel in the Broadway production of “Angels in America” by Tony Kushner. Kushner directed the New York production of “Helen”.
Tickets are $10 general, $8 seniors and students from the HSU Ticket Office (826-3928), with limited free seating for HSU students. More information: http://HSUStage.blogspot.com