As someone who is always thrilled to immerse herself in any and all retellings of Greek mythology, I was thoroughly looking forward to seeing the UI Theatre Department’s production of “Argonautika.”
Now, upon returning from my voyage across myth and time, I can say that I was impressed with the acting, lighting, and humor contained within the show, though not as pleased with my seating.
This rendition of Jason and his crew of Argonauts’ journey to obtain the elusive Golden Fleece, fighting gods and monsters along the way, is told in a modern, comedic way. Each joke seemed to hit its mark, and throughout the show I found myself laughing and smiling as I got to know each character.
The characters were crafted in unique and interesting ways, with most of the actors playing several people within the story. While you may think it would be easy to get lost or confused trying to figure out who is who, I found myself following along perfectly, due to the care and attention each character was given.
For example, every goddess who shows up has her own headdress and mannerisms separate from other characters — such as Athena’s helmet or Aphrodite’s crown.
Even larger-than-life creatures are portrayed well on stage. Polyphemus, the hulking son of Posedian, is brought to life through a large sculpted head and two long, arm-like boxing gloves, with three actors working in tandem to bring him to life. Similarly, the dragon that guards the Golden Fleece and the sea serpent fought by Hercules are also brought to life by multiple people and creative prop manipulation.
Hats off to the cast and crew for being able to construct and smoothly pull off these portrayals.
The characters themselves were not the only bright light of the show — the costuming and visual representation were a highlight as well. Medea, the princess Jason marries, is hit by Eros’s arrow, which makes her fall in love with him.
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Throughout the show, as Medea grows more devoted to Jason and his mission, the blood from her arrow wound begins to stain her white dress more and more, until finally almost the entirety of the dress is red.
Several small details like this helped tie everything together and enhance the production. The lighting in each scene was immersive and tailored to each character and mood.
Aphrodite’s scenes were washed in pink hues, while a storm on the high seas was tumultuous and dimmer.
While I enjoyed “Argonautika” overall and was drawn in by its creative direction, I was disappointed with my seating. Walking into the David Thayer Theatre, audience members were met with three sections of seating — one in front of the stage and two facing either side.
For this show, the set consisted of a structure meant to resemble a ship. The mast, net, deck, and staircase were all impressively realistic and fun set pieces for the actors to play around with. However, there was one glaring problem — if you take a seat, as I did, in one of the side audience sections, or two-thirds of the theater, it is much more difficult to have a good view of everything.
It was frustrating to have to crane my neck to try to see certain scenes or actors when a giant staircase blocked my sight.
One scene in particular, where Aeson — Jason’s father — summons his father from the Underworld, is set up fascinatingly, with puppet strings reaching down from the ship’s mast to marionette the undead king in a haze of green lighting, yet I could barely see what was going on due to that staircase.
At the end of the day, “Argonautika” is an excellent display of talent and humor brought to life by stellar performances. My only recommendation would be to arrive at the theatre with plenty of time to find a center-facing seat.