‘The Odyssey’ review: A.R.T. brings war trauma and equal time for women to an epic’s forefront

I enjoyed reading this review by Madeleine Aiken There is a deep understanding of impact and importance of The Odyssey within the boundaries of this well-educated city!

Homer’s “Odyssey” is one of the world’s oldest works of literature, and yet its story is timeless, especially when you read between the lines like Kate Hamill has for her adaptation for the American Repertory Theater.

Her version, directed by Shana Cooper and at the Loeb Drama Center through March 16, honors the original story but with a valiant goal: to open a dialogue about trauma in the aftermath of war and to put the women in Odysseus’ world center stage.

Alejandra Escalante, Nike Imoru, Kristian Espiritu, and Wayne T. Carr. Photograph courtesy of Maggie Hall/Nile Scott Studios. (this image isn’t in the article but I thought it expresses the author’s discription of the women)

Hamill’s most striking addition is a trio of women played by Escalante, Hamill and Nike Imoru. Named only Woman 1, 2 and 3, they’re omniscient presences – reminiscent of the witches in “Macbeth” – who narrate the story and haunt its characters. Some of the play’s most powerful moments are the ones when they’re on stage, trading lines with a natural chemistry.

They carry the show, and Hamill’s secondary performance as Circe especially stands out. Nichols is a passionate Penelope, and Carr’s Act 3 monologue is truly moving. Set against Sibyl Wickersheimer’s dynamic backdrop, the play moves us from the depths of Hades’ underworld to the island of Scheria to the palace in Ithaca with relative ease. The emphasis on shadows in Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew’s lighting design is brilliant, and there are some truly memorable uses of shadow puppetry by Abigail Baird.