Gaea in Red a thought provoking must see

Performance piece frames mythology in psychology

Most audiences would be (understandably) reluctant to attend an event billed as "a contemporary performance piece," even audiences in Oberlin, progressive as they tend to be. This description of Gaea in Red, which runs this weekend in Wilder Main, though accurate, does not quite do justice to the work itself.

Conceived by senior Diana Zumas as part of her major in Interdisciplinary Performance, Gaea in Red is a truly interdisciplinary exploration of mythology, women's studies, religion and psychology in the framework of theater. Still, this synopsis might sound off-puttingly academic. Audiences will be surprised by how wonderfully Zumas, her co-director senior Sarah Rooney, and all the other collaborators have created a work which is thought-provoking, substantial and intelligent, yet remains accessible and moving.

The small ensemble of performers are backed by a veritable army of student collaborators whose roles are every bit as evident as those of the three actresses onstage. Every aspect of the piece, from the operatic set design by seniors Eliza Valk and Jamie Rauer, to the delightful puppets designed and used by seniors Emily Mills and Aaron Bennet, is well thought out and effective.

The show has a technical polish quite unexpected in a student production. With one exception, every member of the technical staff is a student. This slickness is particularly impressive in the intimate lighting, created by senior Zach Williamson. The sparse musical accompaniment, as well as the help of several "nymphs," help to make Gaea a very full and textured production.

The show features only three actors: Zumas and seniors Hannah Cabell and Simone Perrin - who also collaborated to write the show. In the first half of the evening, each actress portrays a different goddess from the pantheon of Greco-Roman mythology. They're not, however, clad in togas or standing amongst ruins. Each actress has found a way to bring forth certain aspects central to their chosen goddess through the persona of a contemporary woman.

Cabell, a powerfully talented actress, opens the show by delivering a monologue as Missy, the wild young girl who represents Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and the moon. But audiences shouldn't fear that they'll be in the dark. The program helps to catch people up on their mythology, and each actress cleverly weaves in some familiar detail which will likely resonate with audience members who have studied classical mythology at some point in their lives. Cabell is teasing and youthful as Missy, though her character is the most elusive of the three we meet in the first act. It's a challenge to the audience right off the bat, but Cabell plays to the audience a great deal, and it's hard to lose interest.

Zumas struts in next, as the hardened Tina, meant to represent Athena. Her swaggering persona (that of a recovering drug addict) commands attention. Her monologue hovers dangerously near being a stereotypical portrayal of an addict, then swerves into far more unusual territory. The most striking aspect of Zumas' performance is her literally breathtaking vocal acrobatics. Since a lighthearted puppet show opens each scene, there is a lot of fluctuation in the tone of the performance. Given this, and the fact that the space is so visually overwhelming, the actresses face some stiff competition. It is a testament to their talent that each actress takes over and commands attention.

The most emotionally affecting aspect of the first act was Perrin's monologue as June, the neglected wife who is meant to represent Hera. Perhaps it is because her goddess is the most easily recognizable, but Perrin elicited the most laughter, and in an interesting twist, probably the most sympathy. She was funny as she chided her philandering husband's various mistresses over dinner, but in that humor there was something genuinely heart-breaking.

An immense shift in tone occurs between the first and second halves of this piece. Whereas in the first half the actresses portray three distinct characters who do not share the actual space of the stage, here the characters being portrayed are all featured in one story. The focus is the tale of Demeter and her daughter Persephone. Perrin plays Rita, a doting mother meant to represent Demeter. Cabell plays Flo, who is everything one would expect a character inhabited by the goddess Aphrodite to be. Zumas is Lily, the rebellious young daughter who corresponds to Persephone in the myth.

Though the characters are part of one narrative, for the most part they inhabit separate physical spaces. That they manage to interact and structure their own performances while remaining physically separate speaks highly of the performers' talent. It is also very apparent in the second act that this piece has been evolving for a very long time and that these actresses have formed a significant bond.

Cabell is wonderful as Aphrodite, who is sensual and evocative, but subtle. A lesser performance might have presented her as hyper-sexualized, but the cast seems to have too much respect for the myths and goddesses with which they are working to be so uni-dimensional. Perrin is effective as the overprotective mother. In her early scenes she seems simply flighty and over-emotional, but by the time Persephone has left her, it is genuinely moving. Zumas is far more at home as a young woman struggling to grow up than as the drug addict from the first half of the show. Her interpretation focuses primarily on her character as a modern woman, and rarely becomes referential to her mythological counterpart. This makes a nice and oddly successful contrast to Perrin and Cabell.

The narrative is beautifully textured, with lots of help from the nymphs, but it is the strength of the text itself which makes the second half of the evening. Contemporary retellings of Shakespeare and popular myths are not at all uncommon, but rarely can they synthesize elements of the source material with a contemporary edge and remain interesting or at all effective.

Of course, this piece aims very high to explore many difficult questions. It's an impossible goal for a performance of any tolerable length. But what is most surprising is that one walks away from the evening feeling very fulfilled, that the show has worked on one level, and a difficult level at that. For students to create a work which is engaging and challenging is quite a feat. In this regard, this piece is a true success.

Hera, Hera on the wall: Senior Simone Perrin represents the goddess of sacred marraige, Hera. (photo by Katie Spiess)