Atwood’s The Penelopiad takes the stage

It takes surprisingly little to convey the tragic story of Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad. For those who are familiar with the novel, its transition to theatre may at first seem questionable, especially since much of the novel consists of Penelope's monologues about her life. Yet the play provides a visually powerful take on the book.

The all-female cast reflects the author's attempt  to give voice to the silenced women of Greek epics.  Megan Follows plays a funny, sorrowful and at times quivering Penelope — attributes she perhaps picked up as the emblematic Canadian heroine Anne of Green Gables.  A bratty Telemachus (Bahia Watson) also stood out, as did Odysseus (Kelli Fox).

The transition between characters, is done only with costuming and acting skill.  The actresses morph from giggling maidens to Greek heroes. This is particularly astonishing to watch as Odysseus orders the death of the deceitful maids and Telemachus hangs them. The seamless transition takes The Penelopiad off the page and onto the stage.

The play emphasizes the untold story of the hung maids, who even in the The Penelopiad lacks agency and voice. Parts of the end of the book are cut out, including an elaborate court scene involving an attack by monstrous Furies, perhaps due to the minimalist set.

There is a heavy reliance on the actors' skills instead of lavish scenery. Nooses are the only prop used, and even drinking from a cup is mimicked with hand motions alone. Penelope calls the names of the 12 hung maids as they individually grab the end of a noose. A dance ensues with Penelope at the centre holding the ends of the ropes, guiding the women across the stage as they sing. The beautifully haunting scene captures the responsibility Penelope grapples with, thanks to her complacency in the maids' murders. With the ending skimmed down, one of the play's last lines comes from Penelope watching the maids wander in Hades. The maids cannot run, as their "still-twitching feet don't touch the ground."

Although the plot involves hanging people, the novel and the play are not without comic relief. Follows makes many cracks at Odysseus' expense, questioning whether it was a one-eyed monster he fought or a bartender who tried to make him pay his tab. Lessening the epic heroism of the Odyssey enables a female voice to emerge.

Atwood's female characters are not exempt from scrutiny. Pamela Sinha's Helen is less the daughter of Zeus and more Megan Fox. She also acts as a source of comedy; her hair flips and lascivious glances provoke both male libido and Penelope's jealousy.

Some of the comic relief does boarder on slap-stick. The scenes where suitors attempt to string Odysseus' bow and when Penelope's potential husbands race in slow motion in order to win her hand are at the brink of tediousness. The attempt to bring in some laughter in an otherwise depressing story is duly noted. It could, however, be a bit shorter. Barring the mismanaged humour, Nightwood Theatre's The Penelopiad is  an engaging production for both those familiar and unfamiliar with the Homeric epic and Atwood's adaptation.  

The Penelopiad plays at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (12 Alexander St.) from 10-29 Jan.

www.nightwoodtheatre.net