Owl and Nightingale Players Perform in Blood Wedding, First Mainstage of the Year

By Emily Francisco 

Last week the Department of Theatre Arts presented its first Mainstage production of the year: Federico Garcia Lorca’s Blood Wedding.

In the program, Susan Russell noted that the play is distinguished by its characters’ feelings of being trapped; the Mother of the Groom is trapped in her hatred of the Bride’s former sweetheart’s family, Leonardo and his Wife are trapped in unhappiness, and the Bride is trapped in her father’s bidding. This is a fitting description of the play, a play with many related themes such as passion and the desire to break free from societal bonds.

The show itself had its strong aspects of performance and its weak aspects. Featuring the Owl and Nightingale Players of course, three of the strongest actors in the performance were Anna Maria Charalambous, Mariem Diaz, and David Wemer.

Anna Maria’s portrayal of the Mother of the Groom was very revealing of her character’s motivations, concerns, and inner struggles. As mentioned previously, one of the most important themes in the play is passion; she vividly illustrated her character’s passion for family and the family members she loses to murder.

Mariem, who played the Bride, also effectively captured her character’s passions. In particular, she portrayed her character’s passionate internal struggles and the passionate choices she makes. It is clear that deep within, she loves Leonardo, her former sweetheart, and follows her passions by running off with him.

David, who played the Moon, was remarkable in the fact that he played a role that was traditionally female. His expert portrayal of the sinister spirit challenged the audience’s perspectives on gender casting.