He Sure Can Talk

In the modern world, if it’s not photographed, filmed or Facebooked, it barely exists. But in ancient times, important histories were passed along only in the form of oration. That’s quite a feat when you remember that two such tales — Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey — were transmitted...

By Jennifer Davis-Lamm

May 30, 2013

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In the modern world, if it’s not photographed, filmed or Facebooked, it barely exists. But in ancient times, important histories were passed along only in the form of oration. That’s quite a feat when you remember that two such tales — Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey — were transmitted for centuries only by that method. It’s even more of an accomplishment when you realize you can barely relay instructions to the baby-sitter without floundering and forgetting crucial details, and that these odysseys required a full 3,000 years of history be kept straight and retold — with no assistance from Siri, whatsoever. Undermain Theatre, 3200 Main St., harkens back to the days of straight-up storytelling with its production of An Iliad, a one-man retelling of Homer’s epic poem. This adaptation, by playwrights Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, is a triumphant narrative event featuring a man, some music and a compelling story of violence and heroism that will be performed at 8:15 p.m. Friday. You’ll be riveted by the virtuosic yarns spun by actors Bruce DuBose and Paul Semrad, who will alternate the role of the storyteller through June 15. Tickets are $15 to $30, visit undermain.org.
Fri., May 31, 2013

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