Review by Amalisha HuEck
We have an incredible show in town. It should have every single performance completely SOLD OUT, in my humble opinion. This show is NOT to be missed, especially for world history buffs and classic theatre lovers.
'Hellas' is presented by The School of Night. This is a tale that includes the invention of theatre itself through the eyes of a firsthand witness and participant, the Athenian playwright Aeschylus. It is an amazing spectacle with an extraordinary visual on the actual sequences of the events during the Greco-Persian Wars. The story presents the nature of the events in a narrative with historical characters. It starts magically with, "giving thanks to the Gods of the theatre, for giving us that muse that we all love so much." How very beautiful!
The show captures the beat of life during that era, sometimes slow and other times extremely fast, expressed by the rhythm of the drums, with movements; from slow walking to running (in slow motion), fighting with full armor - helmet, shield and a sword; to the walk of a soldier with the purpose to kill. The drum sounds, performed by Chloe Madriaga, so amazingly done using rods drumsticks, drum wire brushes, tongue drum mallets, and more. It gives the show exactly what is needed. What an incredible and nuanced job this girl accomplishes. Bravo! By the last act, I had a need to sit in the front row, to watch Chloe perform magic with those drums. The rhythm, the tone, the beat of life in the Middle East, during the Wars is so nicely emphasized with her skills. Beautifully expressed!
It is mind blowing to see how brutally cruel life could be during those times. Killing someone who was in your way was sometimes considered to be normal, easily masked and dismissed in judgment. The story is presented in the Complete Saga in approximately 5 hours and 45 minutes, which includes the three intermissions, or it can be experienced in two parts on two different days. Set in the early fifth-century B.C., Hellas weaves historical and compelling narratives of individual and collective struggle, illustrating both the strength and fragility of democracy. Told in verse, mask, rhythm, dance and stage combat, it is a drama exploring flawed but resilient humanity, "of vendetta and great battles fought upon land and sea, of oaths and betrayals, familial trauma and struggle, friendship, loyalty, love and sacrifice," says Christopher William Johnson, who wears multiple hats for this production. He wrote the piece, directed it, and oversees scenic properties and costume design. A phenomenal job on all accounts!
The writing is superb, giving us a marathon theatrical epic reaching the heights and depths of expression. The complete cast wear masks throughout the show, appropriate to the characters they are portraying, and with strong voices that hit all the right intonations during dialogue. Each word, clearly shared with the audience, and upon completing the final sentence the actors head turn quickly towards the character that those words were directed to. Their body leans to where the character is expecting an answer. The minute details of style are absolutely beautiful to watch.
With an incredible enthusiasm and energy, the cast of twenty-three gives us the opportunity to "experience performance as it was done in Ancient Greece: an all-day affair filled with spectacle, masks, music, period costumes and astonishing fight choreography." The magnificent cast members are placed in three categories. The Persians: Scott Bartling, Jen Albert, Dawn Alden, Thomas Bigley, Anand Mahalingam, Tristan Rewald, Ruju Dani, and Angelika Giatras. The Athenians: Colin A. Borden, Mathias Blake, Jordan Liebowitz, Gordon Meacham, Dan Wingard and Brandon Zicker. The Spartans: Daniel Adomian, Jesse Corwin, Sebastian Sage, Rich Dally III, Sara Gorsky, Keegan Gray Hughes, Christian Sanders, Klinton Buechele and Emily Grace Gargiulo.
Hellas has been in development for about a year and a half by Johnson, with many rewrites and notes given by his partner and producer Jen Albert, and the play was in a rehearsal stage for about three months. In a very short time - the magic of a true theatre is created. The rest of the fabulous creatives are Sara Gorsky (lighting design), Ryan Beveridge (composer), Jen Albert put together the amazingly fluid and engaging fight choreography. The choreography is beautifully done by Esther Mira. The School of Night has surely found its own unique voice amongst Los Angeles' theater companies. Brilliant work by everyone!
"HELLAS" runs through May 11, 2025. Friday at 7:30pm will offer performances of Part I on 4/18 and 5/2; Part II runs on 4/25 and 5/9. Saturday and Sundays at 2pm offer the complete saga. Check website for run times.
The Broadwater is located at 1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles, CA 90038. Tickets are $25 - $30; $5 off for students with ID. Group discounts are also available. Reservations: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/school-of-night/hellas. Adult language and themes. Viewer discretion advised. Ages 13 years old +