The Inconceivable people "get it." That was my first thought, after our first reading of The Trojan War, back in October of 2010. They really "get it." As I sat at the table with members of the ensemble, listening to them read aloud from my script (no matter how many times it happens, I will never get over how cool it is to hear actual human voices reading words that I've written), I was smiling like an idiot. Most actors would be turned off by dialogue that sounds like translated Greek, or worse yet, actually is translated Greek. But not these daring souls. Really, these folks deserved red capes and superheroic emblems on their chests. They understood the purpose of that style. It was meant to serve the story. And I knew, from that moment on, that working with the Inconceivable Theatre was going to be an incredible experience.
The Trojan War is, as our director Tony puts it, a "deceptively simple play." On the surface, it resembles something the Reduced Shakespeare Company might produce: A comic retelling of ancient stories, littered with anachronisms, euphemisms, and cross-dressing. And believe me, The Trojan War is guilty as charged. But underneath the surface of this zany comedy lies an important conversation that is taking place every day, across the country and around the world. This conversation can be reduced to two simple questions. "Why do wars start?" and "What prevents them from ending?" The Inconceivable people "got it."
Now, this revelation leads to a very logical question: Why use the backdrop of the Trojan War to discuss modern day issues? I'd like to say that the decision harkens back to 1950s Hollywood, when movies like Spartacus, Julius Caesar, and Quo Vadis made commentary about McCarthyism through the distancing device of classical antiquity. It sounds very sophisticated and academic and makes me feel smart. But the truth of the matter is that I chose the Trojan War because it's what I know best. That's Creative Writing 101. Write what you know. And, in my case, write plays that you'd want to see.
I'll admit to one additional, ulterior motive with the setting. I chose the backdrop f the Trojan War for one other reason. Frankly, I feel like many stories from Greek mythology aren't being told. Homer and Hesiod and Ovid were really sophisticated, stylish writers and people tend to shy away from them. I don't know how they got a bad reputation. Maybe there were one too many "begot-beget-begotten" passages. Maybe something about professors in tweed with intimidating British accents did them in. But the Greeks are making a comeback (see the Percy Jackson phenomenon) and that is definitely something I want to be a part of. It's also the reason why I fell in love with the Inconceivable Theatre. Their mission statement really speaks to me and the kind of plays that I write. They "get it."
