Feast,
their latest show now running at the Black Forest Inn, merges the company’s
different aspects. At it’s core, it is a one-woman show about grief, revenge,
and humanity. It also offers a pre-Feast feast at the Black Forest Inn. Most
importantly, it is absolutely brilliant.
Megan Gogerty’s play riffs on Beowulf,
turning the action away from the titular hero and onto one of the “villains” of
the piece, Grendel’s mother. (If you need a quick Beowulf recap: Grendel attacks
some noisy Norsemen. Beowulf come in, takes down the monster, and then defeats
the monster’s mother in an epic battle beneath a lake. Typical hero stuff.)
She
has resurrected herself – made a new body of clay – and has gathered the
descendants of those present that terrible day to tell her side of the story.
This includes recasting her son as a man not about angry violence but one
interested in stubbornly defending what he thought was right, to recounting her
abhorrence when she saw her son’s arm, hanging as a trophy on the wall.
Beowulf
is fertile ground for a feminist recounting, as the epic reduces its female
antagonist to little more than a nameless mother of a monster. Gogerty digs
deep not only into the love a mother has for a son, but the natural anger
against those who hurt him.
Isabel Nelson uses this framework for a terrific
performance. From the moment she staggers onto the stage until the character’s
eventual epiphany, Nelson commands every inch of the playing area. The script is
at turns funny, tragic, and frightening, and the performer captures every nuance
of that in her performance.
It’s aided by Allison Vincent’s tight direction,
that keeps the show on track, even if Gogerthy’s script loses focus for a time
near the end. The minimal staging – a table and a handful of props – further
intensify the performance and the story.
While this certainly isn’t traditional
“dinner theater,” the pre-show meal certainly adds to the experience, as it
plays not only into the concept of the play, but replicates the experience where
stories like Beowulf were often shared. (There are also show-only seats at each
performance, and while those patrons don’t get a meal, they do get a mid-show
cookie.)
With a small venue and limited run, tickets are extremely limited.
Feast has been extended to April 1. In addition, Walking Shadow’s John Heimbuch will present a one-man Beowulf on March 18, 25, and April 1 prior to the meal. Tickets and more information can be found at Walking Shadow’s website.
Feast has been extended to April 1. In addition, Walking Shadow’s John Heimbuch will present a one-man Beowulf on March 18, 25, and April 1 prior to the meal. Tickets and more information can be found at Walking Shadow’s website.
