Even someone unfamiliar with Federico García Lorca’s play “Blood Wedding” can guess by its title that it involves two of theatre’s classic themes — love and violence. The same audience member may have been surprised to see the opening number — a spirited rendition of “99 Problems.”
But that’s exactly what the Drama Department chose to do — and, believe it or not, it worked.
Consisting of six performances over two weeks, the University’s Drama Department’s interpretation of “Blood Wedding” left a lot to be considered but much less to be desired. There was something for everyone — from a bizarre but fitting modern soundtrack to a steamy love triangle to the literal embodiment of death.
The story isn’t terribly complex, offering room for creative interpretation on the actors’ parts. In fact, it is almost a Biblical simplicity — a concept strengthened by the characters’ lack of names. “Blood Wedding” opens on a scene of a young man named Boy and his mother, named Mother, discussing Boy’s imminent marriage to his love interest, of course named Wife.
The plot progressed in a predictable, mostly light-hearted way, made interesting by the impressive performances of third-year College student Jordan Maia as Boy and graduate College student Chiquita Melvin as Mother. The first inklings of tension are delivered when Boy inexplicably requests a knife to bring with him on his wedding night, leading Mother to bemoan the family members she already lost to violence.
The plot thickened with the addition of Wife — a complicated character played by talented fourth-year College student Elena Anderson — and her old flame Leonardo, played by graduate College student Kevin Minor. Of all the noteworthy performances, Minor’s embodiment of the complex, troubling and ultimately pitiable Leonardo was the most striking.
Once all the characters gathered for the wedding, the audience didn’t have to wait long for things to go downhill. Here the themes of love and violence truly shone, resulting in a tragic but profound second act.
Though an entertaining story, “Blood Wedding” would have failed to be remarkable if not for the creative choices of the Drama Department. The plot made dizzying leaps from the tragic to the comic, and this was reflected beautifully in the choice of music. At one point, partygoers lived it up to “Dynamite,” while immediately afterwards a knife-toting Leonardo stalked across the stage to an incredibly creepy acoustic cover of “You’re the One That I Want.” Though not always executed perfectly, the musical contrast usually packed a powerful emotional punch.
The set itself was as impressive and dynamic as some of the show’s most complex characters. Initially, it featured vine-covered exposed brick, a peaceful setting reminiscent of “The Secret Garden.” Conversely, once the plot took a turn for the disturbing, the set literally fractured — letting in ominous moonlight from backstage and producing a decidedly sinister effect.
Some of the show’s highlights were the moments when characters interacted with the set. At one point late in the plot, death was summoned for certain characters — and death literally crawled out of a hole in the ground. Though billed as “Beggar,” it is clear that ambitious first-year College student Veronica Sirotic was meant to be a harbinger of doom. From the second she emerged from her lair, clad in trash bags and muttering through a voice-changer, the audience members were glued to their seats.
All of this could have been painfully cheesy — and in all honesty, sometimes it was. But for the most part, the Drama Department’s handling of “Blood Wedding” was a masterful one, true to the source material while branching out in alternately hilarious and horrifying directions.
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