The Cast of Trojan Women MCI at Unicorn Theatre
Euripides’ The Trojan Women centers on a very specific moment in Greek mythology: Following the fall of Troy, the city’s most prominent women face their fate at the hands of the Greek victors who have killed their husbands and families and decimated their home. It has also proven to be far too timeless, as it depicts a landscape of exploitation and abuse that persists to this day.
That’s the basis for Lauren Gunderson’s Trojan Women MCI, now having its world premiere at Unicorn Theatre. The adaptation’s Kansas City setting might seem arbitrary to most until a throwaway line midway through references two important components of recent KC development: our new international airport and our frequent participation in Super Bowls. Both of those things have been shown to dramatically increase reports of human trafficking.
In Trojan Women MCI, Hecuba (Amber McKinnon), Andromache (Emmy Panzica-Piontek), Helen (Karen Lisondra), and Cassandra (Haley Knudsen) work for an unseen but (thanks to Thomas Newby’s sound design) oppressively imposing “Him.” The women live together in a small, ramshackle house, under the thumb of the boss’s teenage enforcer (Kellen Serrano). They ostensibly have the freedom to come and go, but in reality, they only leave to do His bidding—at least, the former three do. Cassandra doesn’t leave at all, but sits in their shared home painting her nails a different color every day as a small act of self-expression, a tiny colorful boost to her own emotional well-being.
Cassandra was held captive following the death of her sister, for which the kingpin blames her. As in mythology, she has the gift of foresight, though no one believes her prophecies. She is, however, able to use her gift to scare Him into locking her up and leaving her alone. A “Muse” (Shanna Jones) appears throughout—often but not necessarily always seeming to be the spirit of Cassandra’s sister—playing guitar and singing original songs by the band The Kilbanes. The music is great, and Jones’ performance is stellar, but ultimately, the songs feel like a separate entity, detached from the script, rather than a part of it.
That feeling of disjointedness carries throughout the play. The script tackles heavy ideas and has plenty of powerful moments, but they often feel inelegantly strung together rather than coalescing into a seamless whole. One especially jarring example is a broad, somewhat awkward combat sequence, followed immediately by an instance of hyper-realistic gore. What had the potential to be viscerally impactful instead just felt uncomfortable.
Still, there is much to praise here. Gunderson does a fantastic job of transplanting Euripides’ tale to modern day, highlighting the circumstances that make the update so possible. Bethany Elliott’s set feels appropriately claustrophobic and authentically lived-in: not a pleasant space but one that these women have made into something resembling a home. And the cast is wonderful across the board, with Lisondra being an exceptional standout. Her Helen enters with a thrilling ferality that she never fully drops, even as she lowers her guard just barely enough to form a genuine bond with Cassandra.
The program note from Director (and Unicorn’s Artistic Director) Ernie Nolan discusses the importance of fostering conversations. Even if this production falls short of its potential, it does certainly accomplish that. This show is pure conversation-starter material from start to finish.
Trojan Women MCI runs through March 29 at Unicorn Theatre, 3828 Main St. For more information, visit unicorntheatre.org.
