Review: THE PENELOPIAD at Women's Theatre Collective

Margaret Atwood’s play, The Penelopiad, is a fascinating glimpse into an oft overlooked character. The book of the same name was published in 2005 as part of the Canongate Myth Series, in which contemporary authors write their version of ancient myths. Atwood’s story concerns Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and recounts events from her point of view.

Penelope is perhaps most well-known for her loyalty to Odysseus, if you listen to Homer tell it. The first half of the play is congruent with the time period of The Iliad, but focuses on Penelope’s experiences before and during the Trojan War. In Women’s Theatre Collective’s adaptation, Penelope (Kathleen Poe) emerges onto a sparsely decorated stage to address the audience. She finds herself in Hades with a new sense of self-awareness. She tells us, “Now that I’m dead, I know everything.” It’s unfortunate that such knowledge couldn’t have come sooner, for it may have made a difference to her twelve maids. She then takes us on a journey beginning with her birth, to King Icarius and a naiad. After Icarius fails to drown her (she is part water, after all), he becomes an over-doting father and, thinking no one will succeed, tells her suitors that the one who beats him in a race is the one she will marry. Odysseus prevails and, despite being only fifteen years old, Penelope finds herself eager to begin a new life with him in Ithaca. Her monologue is interrupted in the second scene as a Greek chorus of her murdered maids shuffle onto the stage, shrouded in fabric and chanting, “We are the maids, the ones you killed, the ones you failed…” which steers Penelope to continue her behind-the-scenes tale of her life as Odysseus’s wife and her responsibilities during the time of The Odyssey.

With backup from an ensemble of very capable women, Poe delivers Penelope’s trials with precision and vulnerability, eliciting sympathy from the audience. She also impressed me with the sheer volume of lines that she memorized and effortlessly gave us, even when there were a couple of inadvertent hiccups in the show that could have derailed her. Also noteworthy is Olivia Loeprich as Penelope’s cousin and rival, Helen of Troy. She’s a natural siren and a small but mighty presence on stage. My favorite character of all, and arguably the cutest, is Jasper. He plays a small but very important role alongside his owner, Sarah Palermo, who is intimidating as a very powerful Odysseus.

The Penelopiad is a great script. If you enjoy Greek mythology, female-focused stories, or clever characters, you should see this play. Director Jenny Connors did a wonderful job bringing her vision to fruition and highlighting the strength and perseverance that is overlooked in Penelope. I now have a whole new opinion of a woman that I never thought much about, though maybe I should have.  

The Penelopiad plays with the Women’s Theatre Collective through this weekend only at the West Sacramento Black Box Theatre. Tickets and more information may be found online at womenstheatrecollective.org.

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