Unsurprisingly, Hart House has presented us with a polished rendition of one of Shakespeare’s most demanding plays. The Poculi Ludique Societas’ production of the Trojan War epic Troilus and Cressida , directed by Jennifer Roberts-Smith, both kept the pace up over three and a half hours and brought out the sexual tension underneath the military action.
This was thanks to several skilled performers, especially William Webster as the devilishly lewd Pandarus. Webster was joined by other well-seasoned players—Richard Partington as Agamemnon and John Cleland as Ulysses—and a passionate James Finnerty and headstrong Laryssa Yanchak in the title roles showed maturity and depth as well as believable chemistry. Praise must also go to the numerous supporting cast, who showed both patience and stamina in helping frame the scenes and aid to the poetics of the main protagonists.
However, Paris didn’t command the necessary respect from his soldiers or the audience, and his wench Helen didn’t seem quite alluring enough to have ignited the feud in the first place. Jeremy Hutton’s interpretation of the wise Nestor is of positive note, but did on occasion prove a little too energetic for such an aged man.
The minimalist set (three tents and the brilliance of armour and weaponry) and dynamic choreography, epitomized by the battle scene in Act Two, brought life into this often-forgotten great work. Here, onstage freeze-framing was heightened by the sound of off-stage fighting. The play ended as it began, in the gentle hands of Pandarus.
