EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND — This trip has increased my interest in Greece and Greek stories, so I was happy to explore the short production entitled After Troy. I did not know much more than just the title, so I was quite surprised with what it ended up being about. The surprise was worth the time and effort to attend, because it helped me realize that the Fringe is not just about exciting musical acts or theatre artists trying to make their mark, it can also be about young people who are trying to make a difference in the world.
This was an interesting endeavor brought to the festival by a group of young students from an all girls secondary school, Badminton School, in Bristol, England. A program was not provided so I cannot credit any of these lovely young ladies, but to say I was intrigued and impressed would be an understatement. The announcement at the beginning of the show said that the entire show was student written and directed.
The production stayed with a beautiful use of scarves and threads to make a tapestry which was discussed as a metaphor. The stories of the women of Troy were woven into a beautiful story of the women of the Rohingya or the women of Rwanda. The diversity of the cast showed an understanding of the subject matter that was likely more than just educational. The emotions behind the words they were saying showed an acting ability and understanding that was very strong.
Looking at how some survived conflict in stories of the past and then showing it as examples of power to survive conflict of today is magical. It is also something that is has sadly been left out of a lot of history. We have not told many of the stories or women that we should have. The fact that these young students were ambitious enough to do the work to write this story, put together a production, and do the work to take it to the Fringe, shows that they will be able to be like the women of Troy and be survivors.
