‘Trojan War’ Has Argument For Peace

By blurring the line between past and present, war and peace, truth and lies, “The Trojan War Will Not Take Place!” challenged its audience’s assumptions about declarations of war and affairs of state. But as they tackled these political obstacles, the cast also reexamined their notions of love and beauty—and this is where the play’s strengths lay. Produced by Katherine K. Schick ’10 at the Agassiz Theatre, “The Trojan War Will Not Take Place!” shone with standout performances that communicated a powerful message about war and human agency.

The dedication of director Alex N. Chase-Levenson ’08 to “The Trojan War Will Not Take Place” made it a coherent work. Jean Giradoux’s 1935 play poses a compelling historical scenario: What if Trojan hero Hector took drastic measures to avert the Trojan War before it began? Having personally translated the script from its original French, Chase-Levenson powerfully conveyed the subtle nuances of Giradoux’s dialogue through his directorial choices. These choices worked well artistically, although Chase-Levenson made a minor slip by allowing his cast to overact when trying to emphasize the key anti-war message.

The soul of “The Trojan War Will Not Take Place!” was its acting. Convincingly ditzy and self-involved, Geraldine K. Prasuhn ’09 brought a vapid Helen to life. As her foil, the war-weary Hector, Christopher J. Carothers ’11 embodied the disillusionment and despair that Giraudoux associates with war. Carothers infused his character with just the right combination of masculine pride and unwavering dedication to family. The stark contrast between Carothers and Prasuhn spoke to the struggle between the themes of fate and free will that dominated the play.

Demokos (Ben C. Cosgrove ’10), the ancient president of the Trojan Senate, provided much needed comic relief—and a reminder that human folly ultimately governs the play. And compared to the fatuous Helen, Andromache (Courtney G. Bowman ’11) and Hecuba (Caitlin Lowans) gave compelling performances as paragons of strong and virtuous women who desire peace and stability for their children above all else.

The simple set functioned well as a physical expression of the play’s larger themes. Set designers Chase-Levenson and Schick constructed several terraces to mimic the walls of Troy and featured actors on multiple elevations. A pair of large wooden doors opened and closed at the whims of the Trojan men, suggesting the intangible and subjective nature of peace. Lighting designer Mary E. Stebbins ’08 imbued the entire stage with a rotating palette of hues that enhanced the mood.

In his director’s note, Chase-Levenson emphasized that “The Trojan War Will Not Take Place!” transcends every time period. Jessica C. Coggins ’08 enacted that universality in her decisions as costume designer, dividing the cast between toga-wearing characters like Demokos, who have succumbed to the determinism of fate, and advocates for peace who wear modern clothing. Although this was a promising concept, its execution muddled already complicated scenes and distracted from Giraudoux’s message.

In addition to the unspoken but strongly suggested parallel between the anti-war themes of “The Trojan War Will Not Take Place!” and the current anti-Iraq War movement in the United States, the play also provoked discourse on smaller, more personal questions. The worldly women of Troy addressed issues of women’s place in society by arguing that Helen only has power because men have made her a symbol and linked their honor to her “purity.” A final confrontation between Ulysses (Augustine “Gus” T. Hickey ’11) and Hector suggested that man manufactures the cause of war by creating his enemy and establishing him as a threat to the honorable society. These sub-themes were sometimes more compelling than Chase-Levenson’s anti-war message.

For a split second, Hector’s cry for peace seemed to defy the play’s intractable march towards the Trojan War. The sense of frustration that lingered as diplomacy broke down into violence at the end was the best indicator that the themes of “The Trojan War Will Not Take Place!” really are universal. Almost in spite of sometimes heavy-handed direction and overly emphatic dialogue, “The Trojan War Will Not Take Place!” remained a prescient reminder of how quickly injured honor can devolve into violent conflict. Hector’s reappraisal of his own impressions and assumptions about war was a persuasive cry for contemplation well after the house lights came back up.

—Crimson reviewer Eric M. Sefton can be reached at esefton@fas.harvard.edu.