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Kesi Augustine Kesi Reviews Wolfpit by Phoenix Theatre Ensemble  Tucked into a narrow building just off of the constant bustle of 42nd street, the Pheonix Theater Ensemble's showcase of Glyn Maxwell's Wolfpit takes its audience members by surprise from the moment one finds the theatre. Brown is the most prominent color in the theater, appearing in various shades from the seats of the theater itself to the painted background of the stage. Insect sounds are played quietly overhead. The setup of the stage itself is difficult to describe -- wooden pieces of circles reflect each other in the center, some standing on their side and others elevated on the floor. The wood's surface is jagged, topping off the field-like view. Set in England during 1154, Wolfpit is a Christian town mostly inhabited by reapers. The villagers are dressed in earthly costumes designed by Margaret McKowen, and grasp their tools firmly, almost as a sign of their identity. "Each of yous have a strip to reap from sunrise to sunset," bellows Master Richard Calne to the four visibly tired reapers in front of him. The audience is given a lengthy observation of the life of the reapers who speak in humorous dialogue and thoughtful verse. Tom Parch, a graying man with frazzled gray hair and luminous brown eyes, becomes similar to the narrator of the play, often speaking directly to the audience when he is not a part of the scene. "Eating, reaping, sleeping," he begins, nonchalantly describing the patterns of his daily life, "the sleep of a laboring man is sweet." An unexplained arrival of two children to the village causes everyone's lives to change dramatically. What surprises the villagers, and furthermore the audience, is not how the children arrive seemingly out of thin air, but the color of their skin: They are a deep forest green, in sharp contrast with the natural colors of the stage. The young boy and girl, easily regarded as brother and sister, cling to one another in fright as the villagers approach them with pitchforks and slander sparked by their confusion. "Green is a sign of evil coming," assures a mud-kissed Ned Staner, whose words are easily shrugged off by his neighbors. No one considers the truth in his statement. The villagers come to describe everything about the children as green, frequently referring to their "green voices" that are "green with hunger" topping off an appearance that is "green as leaves." The numerous references to the color green may have the audience slightly distracted, but not for long. As the children attempt to adapt to the village, the villagers attempt to adapt to the children's presence as well. Despite all that is at stake, the villagers pause between scenes to break into ironic song with their booming voices. Time quickly passes with changes in lighting, and the importance of the children to the villagers becomes painfully evident. The villagers tangle themselves in a web of lies and desire and almost become used to blaming the children for their actions. However the children have not caused the chaos; rather, Maxwell uses the children to expose impurities in the reaper's lives that may have existed long before the children's arrival. Wolfpit's scenes give a thought-provoking look into many themes, a few being the meaning of possession, religion's role in one's way of life, and most strikingly the role of skin color in one's identity. The setting of the play is understandable and also identifiable with our own. What transpires is often unexpected and does not shed positive light on human nature. And so audience does not take Wolfpit lightly. "I will not be forgotten," Tom repeatedly assures us at the play's close while facing an overwhelming aftermath. |