Commentary by Jess Bozeman, Campus Carrier Staff Reporter
Berry College Theatre Company’s production of “Women in Arms” opens with the classic line “once upon a time.” While it may open like a traditional fairy tale, this play is anything but. “Women in Arms” focuses on the women of Irish mythology and retells the classic Irish folklore from a feminist perspective.
Before the show starts, Irish folk music plays, putting the audience in the mood for a play with a true Celtic flair. The setting for the play is ancient Ireland, and the set fits perfectly. The entire stage looks mystical: fog rolls through Celtic stone monuments placed around the stage, and red, blue and green lighting casts eerie shadows that lend drama to much of the show’s events.
“It’s been a long process to get where we are,” junior and stage manager Stephanie Schwartz said. “Everyone, from the designers and production team to the shops and actors, has worked extremely hard to make this show as beautiful as it is.”
The play focuses on four main women: Nessa, Macha, Deirdre and Maeve. In the first story, Nessa is an educated and politically savvy woman seeking revenge on the king. Through her tale, there is a theme of lost innocence and the question of what we must give up to achieve our goals.
In the next story, Macha is a mysterious woman who will come to curse an entire kingdom. The moral of Macha’s story is centered on the consequences of mistreating others.
Deirdre is a young girl trying to escape the king’s amorous pursuit. Deirdre struggles with whether or not she can follow her heart if it means the downfall of the kingdom.
Lastly, Maeve is a powerful queen in her own right trying to prove herself equal to her king. Like Nessa, Maeve deals with what one must lose in order to achieve greatness. Unlike Nessa though, Maeve’s losses come not from what she herself gives up but the sacrifices she demands of her people for what may be a costly victory.
The strong female characters are, like any realistic character, far from perfect. Their mistakes, much like those of the men, will come to affect the entire country.
The cast is made up mainly of women with only two male actors. Many of the male characters are portrayed by puppets. The puppeteers have to be versatile and swap between many different characters.
“It’s been great getting to be in a show, and John [Countryman] is a great director,” freshman Torrie Khan, a chorus member and one of the four puppeteers, said. “This show has been much different than anything I’ve done in the past.”
Though this play has gotten praise in Europe, Berry’s show will be the first time the play has been performed in the U.S. Without much previous knowledge of Irish folklore, I was really interested in learning more about their culture and this play did not disappoint. I am extremely glad that Berry received the opportunity to host its American premiere. Anyone interested in mythology should go check it out.
“Women in Arms” will be showing at the E.H. Young Theatre Nov. 12-15 and Nov. 19-22 with tickets available for purchase at the door.