Punishment for all

>> Standjofski directs The Bacchae at Concordia

by AMY BARRATT

Faced with the interviewer's confession that she's not so familiar with The Bacchae by Euripides, Harry Standjofski reacts a combination of surprise and pity.

"Oh, it's the best one," he enthuses. "It's the best one."

He doesn't just mean it's Euripides' best work. He means it's his favourite of all the ancient Greek plays. The Bacchae captured his imagination when he studied it in his first semester as a Concordia theatre student 20 years ago next fall. Now, as a director, he's getting to share his enthusiasm for the play with Concordia's current graduating class. The theatre department production opens tomorrow night, March 30, at the D.B. Clarke theatre.

What he likes best about The Bacchae is that it's still so painfully relevant. He sees it as first and foremost an argument against fundamentalism of any kind. "If people have any associations with this play at all, they tend to think it's about a gang of wild women," Standjofski says. "But that's not at all the theme. The notion that I've hung the play on is contained in the lines, 'Many are the ways of the gods and the deeds of the gods, all beyond the mind of man.' All the way through, it seems to be saying, if you go against the gods, you will be punished, but in the end, everybody is punished. Euripides' point is that we're not nearly smart enough to know what God thinks, and that those who profess to know the truth are kidding themselves. It's something I absolutely believe.

"It's not really my thing, but if somebody wanted to, they could easily set it as a clash between Right-wing Christians and Muslims. It's still a timely piece."

Unlike his Atreus project at Concordia several years ago, this show is not really an adaptation. He's sticking pretty close to the Nicholas Ruddall translation, but has no qualms about making cuts. "There's so much stuff in Greek drama that means nothing to people nowadays. I don't feel the need to keep it in for the sake of Classicism."

As a director, Standjofski's main concern is getting a show that works theatrically. And if that means cutting, so be it. His Bacchae should clock in at a snappy--and probably action-packed--80 minutes or so.

Standjofski admits to taking a few liberties with the text, like casting a couple of male roles as female, but the changes aren't gratuitous, he says. "I believe they all make sense and are true to the myth and the story and the themes."

The set for The Bacchae is student-designed and according to Standjofski, "amazing." The show also has original music by a Concordia composition student, Allison Leyton-Brown, performed by a six-piece band.

Juicy Thompson tidbit: Bet those control freaks at Just for Laughs wish he'd kept his mouth shut, but that's not ex-Kid in the Hall Scott Thompson's style. He let slip on CBC radio last Friday that he'll be premiering a one-man show at this summer's JFL festival. The show, which he said he eventually hopes to bring to Broadway, is most likely the one based on his outrageous Buddy Cole character that fans have been eagerly awaiting.

The Bacchae, March 30-April 1 and April 5-7 at 8pm, April 8 at 7pm. Tickets vary but are all less than $10. Info: 848-4742