Photo/Performance Lab 115
Reviewed by Cindy Pierre
Paul Cohen's Mourn the Living Hector juxtaposes the Trojan War with the War in Iraq to illustrate the toll of combat on the psyche and the body. Touching base with their families and loved ones in a last attempt at normalcy, Hector and Mike, both played by Jeff Clarke, weave in and out of sticky situations in the 12th century and 21st century, respectively, to return to the battle that they expect will end their lives. With the exception of Woman (Liz Eckert), a character that appears in both time periods, each character from Hector's life has an alternate, updated persona in Mike's life and like Hector/Mike, is played by the same actor. Although Mourn the Living Hector has some emotionally and visually-arresting scenes (woman drags dead father up a hill in a sack, man draws blood from socking woman in the face) and solid acting, some of the staging—such as Polydamus in the 12th century slipping Grace in the 21st century a cell phone—is bland, questionable and the switch between past and present isn't always smooth. Side seats at the Flamboyan Theater may obstruct your view of characters' faces. Furthermore, brush up on your Greek mythology, because the enjoyment of Mourn the Living Hector is directly tied to your knowledge of Troy. However, the acceptance of doom and the precious moments left before it hits translates clearly to the stage, making a strong case for something ageless: society's outrage with war.
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Mourn the Living Hector
CSV Cultural and Educational Center-Flamboyan (107 Suffolk Street)
Tickets: $15 www.fringenyc.org
8/21 at 5pm, 8/23 at 7:30pm
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