By Stephen Dubois

Buffalo’s very own Irish Classical Theatre Company was home to the North American Premiere of the 2022 play Girl on an Altar by Dublin-born playwright Marina Carr.  Based upon the Greek tragedy Iphigenia at Aulis (as well as drawing on other elements from myths surrounding the accursed House of Atreus) the play explores the complex family dynamic of Queen Clytemnestra and King Agamemnon whose actions toward his daughter Iphigenia set in motion a cycle of grief and revenge. What unravels is a plot thick with sorrow, shameless chauvinism, adultery, gaslighting, and unforgiveness. Carr focuses a lot on the women in the play and how they struggle to find any voice or summon the courage to elevate themselves to have any control over their own destinies. Agamemnon is a brutish and shallow antagonist whose arrogant sense of entitled worth fills him with power he wields over all with whom he comes in contact.  Of course, with any Greek tragedy, the tables eventually turn on him. 

The play alternates between a casual narrative style, in which the characters collectively paint the visual landscape of the story, and a more formal, Shakespearean mode of elegantly crafted prose.  It’s quite poetic at times and I credit the cast with what must have been a Herculean number of rehearsals.  Said cast has only six players: Clytemnestra (Keelie Sheridan), Agamemnon (Jorge Luna), Cassandra (Tabitha Raithel), Aegisthus (Darryl Semira), Cilissa (Paige Batt) and Tyndareus (David Marciniak).  All were strong and effective, but it really is a shame that Tyndareus had such a small role – not even speaking until Act Two – because Marciniak delivered an exceptional performance.

Theater in the Round is always interesting to see.  I think nothing tests the mettle of a director (in this case Anderson Carr) more than utilizing a square space and making it visually engaging.  It’s a simple set: transparent red cloth in the shape of a tent that could be lowered and raised for different scenic purposes, several large white geometric shapes that would find themselves in countless configurations, atmospheric theatrical haze and lighting effects (coupled with ethereal music) created a dreamlike quality, and lastly a circle of light above the stage from which red feathers and rose petals could fall to symbolize blood.  The red in this show certainly took on strong metaphoric uses symbolizing love, anger, revenge and blood itself.

As a play, Girl on an Altar is far from perfect, but it seemed to find its footing in Act Two. Act One was often convoluted, infuriating, and occasionally overindulgent. By contrast, the second act moved with purpose and culminated in a deeply satisfying final scene. The focus and momentum of Act Two were so strong that it almost felt like a different play altogether. Ultimately, the production’s greatest appeal lies in seeing an ancient Greek tragedy reimagined through Marina Carr’s distinctive voice and brought to life by a committed cast and creative production team. 

Irish Classical Theatre will be running this new production through June 28 and tickets can be found on its web site: Buffalo’s Premier Live Theatre Group | Irish Classical Theatre Company