[2024-06-13] Adonis and the Gods at War
Tonight, I took in a live theatrical show—my first since before COVID.
What made this return to the theatre even more special was that my son was one of three performers in the play, which opened tonight as part of Ottawa's Fringe Festival. Shane plays the God of War in a production of Adonis and the Gods at War. Written by Iris MacKay and stage directed by Heather Herbert, the play stars Daniel Braun as Adonis, Fern Marwood as the Goddess Aphrodite and Shane Bouchard as the God Ares.
For those of us who haven't given much thought to Greek mythology since Grade 9 English class, Adonis, a mortal, is the lover of the goddesses Aphrodite and Persephone. Aphrodite is the Goddess of Love (not to mention lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and more). And Ares is the God of War.
The premise for the play is this:
How do you love a god? Wholly, completely, and without regard for the future. But after seventeen years of living amongst the Gods, Adonis starts to wonder if he wants more from life than to be a spoil of war. This retelling of the myth of Adonis and Aphrodite weaves a powerful story about power, choice, and agency.
I loved the play, which packs a lot into its one-hour run time. This highly enjoyable story is full of rich dialogue, convincingly performed by the cast. I wasn't sure which way the story would go until the final minute, when a very satisfying ending played out. It was like a small dessert, perfect in its proportions and enjoyable from the first moment to the last.
For showtimes and tickets, see the Adonis and the Gods at War page on the Fringe Festival website.
