Argonautika

Attended the opening of Mary Zimmerman's Argonautika at the Shakespeare Theatre last night. Brilliant.

The only criticism I can think of: after the leisurly paced Act I, Act II comes off like the second season of Rome, trying to squeeze in too many events in too short of a time; the finding of the golden fleece, the wooing of Medea, the terrible return voyage of the Argo, Jason's betrayal and Medea's meltdown. I got the impression that it started off as a much longer play - three, maybe four acts - and that Zimmerman kept Act I intact and boiled the rest down to a second act.

Otherwise, the staging, the ensemble, the lovely set were just wonderful. A neat trick: Medea is pierced by Eros' arrow, and she spends the remainder of the play (until she does the fatal deed) with the arrow sticking through her. Her blouse gets progressively bloodier with every entrance, echoing her descent into madness.

Go see it. Run. Do not walk.

Peace out.