by Joey Guerra
Entertainment Editor
After making such a striking impression with part one of the epic Greeks production, one could only wonder what ideas director Gregory Boyd would conjure up for Part Two: The Gods, currently running at the Alley Theatre.
How about cool Egyptian cats, ditzy blonde babes and bloody gun battles?
If Boyd seemed to show some signs of restraint in the first installment of The Greeks amid all the tragedy, he pulls out all the stops for this second edition, which picks up the story after the murder of Agamemnon, general of the Greeks, at the hands of his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus. Loud, brash and sometimes overbearing, The Gods manages to create sufficient dramatic tension before unraveling in its few final scenes.
We first come upon Electra (the mesmerizing Sherri Parker Lee), who vows to avenge her father's death with the help of her brother Orestes (Michael Bubrick). While she awaits his arrival, news of Orestes' death comes, much to Electra's horror. It is soon dispelled, though, when the warrior returns with the same thoughts of revenge as his sister.
Boyd sets a stark stage with minimal lighting and few props that undercuts the intensity of the situation. Lee and Bubrick perfectly capture the madness and hatred within their characters, but John Feltch is once again hopelessly miscast as Aegisthus. With his open shirt, tight leather pants and bad fright wig, he looks like a '70s porn star cockily making his way across the stage while inciting unintended laughter from the audience.
The next scene, "Helen," takes us to ancient Egypt, where Elizabeth Heflin camps it up in a wonderfully realized, ditzy portrayal complete with sunglasses and a plush bed. While Helen explains her current state, a gaggle of Greek women dance and sing around her, turning it into a beach-blanket bikini boogie. The humor of this scene is a sharp contrast from "Electra," but makes the most of a game cast.
As Eucleia, portress of the palace, Bettye Fitzpatrick is a sight in leather, curlers, a mud mask and a sort of makeshift bustier. Feltch also returns as the king of Egypt, uttering his lines with hilariously deadpan midsentence pauses. Helen escapes his clutches thanks to her faithful husband Menelaus, played formidably by Jeffrey Bean.
The next few scenes, including "Orestes" and "Andromache," contain genuinely compelling moments, but begin to lose steam. It's as if Boyd is running out of ideas. Electra's bald head and Terminator stance are startling, and a scene where Electra avenges her and Orestes' imminent death by kidnapping Hermione, Helen's daughter, makes wonderfully frightening use of shadows and electronic music.
For the most part, though, these scenes seem to be missing an emotional core and dramatic impact despite a noble, heartfelt performance by Shelley Williams as Andromache, Bubrick's harrowing portrayal of Orestes and Boyd's own too-cool send-up as Apollo.
Debra Eisenstadt, so remote in part one as Iphigenia, is a hoot as Hermione, a spoiled princess who deserves what she gets. "You don't know what it's like to be a spoiled heiress," she quips.
Additionally, Jean Arbeiter is once again enchanting as Thetis, the sea nymph. By the time we reach the final scene, "Iphigenia in Tauris," the characters have become so incredibly over-the-top that sympathy for, and connection to, them is all but lost. Only Williams' regal turn as Athene, all commanding movements and presence, is a keeper.
Boyd has definitely created a production of epic proportions, and technically - from Kevin Rigdon's scenic and lighting design to Susan Tsu's costuming - the show is fabulous. But somewhere amid all the codpieces and drum beats, human emotion has all but faded. When James Black appears on ridiculously high stilts as Thoas, king of the Taurians, all that's left is for a vendor to make his way up and down the aisles yelling, "Get your cotton candy and peanuts!"
Both parts of The Greeks play in rotating repertory through May 4, with 10 a.m. student matinees scheduled for April 30 and May 1 at the Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Ave.
Student discounts are also being offered at any time for any show for a cost of $10 with a valid ID. Regular ticket prices are $31 to $43. Pre-show "informances" are also offered 45 minutes prior to curtain at every performance. Call 228-8421 for more information.