Review: High school fencers go blade to blade in ‘Athena’ at Writers Theatre in Glencoe
In Gracie Gardner’s two-character play, now at Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Athena is not the protectress of Athens but the nom de plum of a 17-year-old high school fencer who likes having a warrior moniker inside the more usual tool kit of lunge, parry and riposte.
Athena, played by Mary Tilden, has a sparring partner in Mary Wallace (Aja Singletary). And the two girls dissect their lives and future prospects as they spar with each other in their New York City training facility. Much of what passes for dramatic conflict in the 80-minute play comes from the disparity between the girls playing a traditionally male-dominated sport derived from a form of fighting to the death, while navigating the terms of their own complicated friendships, aspirations and familial relations. As such, it worries over a common current theme found in the writing of many progressive young writers: how to reconcile being a competitor and a confidant.
Gardner, though, doesn’t bring into play many external events as do many similar plays: she has written a conversation-driven character study of two whip-smart, self-reflective teenagers for the most part, relying on the added audience appeal of watching two actors fence in real time. The show employed two choreographers in David Blixt and Christian Kelly-Sordelet.
In director Jessica Fisch’s stylish, lively and fast-moving production, fence these two highly skilled actors do. Impressively so. And the set design, from Arnel Sancianco, not only has a runway built for swordplay, it meditates on that main theme.
This is, though, unusual mainstage programming for Writers, a theater where (on opening night, at least) it seemed like almost everyone in the audience was over 40. For many people at that point in their life, the talk of acne and favorite “Game of Thrones” episodes might be of limited appeal, which perhaps explains the mostly polite response, especially since the script doesn’t venture much into the unpredictable. Clearly, the writer is fond of both of her main characters and doesn’t want them to inflict any real blows on each other; that called, really, for someone or something (beyond life itself) against which they could join forces.
At 80 minutes and very with much an urbane, New York City point of view, this feels more like a theater for young audiences piece. Certainly, it’s aimed squarely at middle school and high school kids who will recognize its core characters, conflicts and themes and won’t have that “well, they are teenagers and they’ll get over that after they go to college” reflex. I hope Writers is able to find that crew and coax them to the theater. They’d appreciate how the piece is intense, honest and never driven to condescend.
One other note, though: Plays with 17-year-old characters often work better with actors really of that age. Older, adult performers inevitably have to amplify reactions and figure out how to play younger, even though they are playing characters who actually are always attempting the inverse, which is to be older and more sophisticated than their years.
That’s no criticism of the two excellent performers here; I’ve just seen that choice work so spectacularly well elsewhere.
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.
Review: “Athena”
When: Through July 10
Where: Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
Running time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Tickets: $35-$90 at 847-242-6000 or www.writerstheatre.org
