"Beowulf" and "Feast" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Black Forest Inn

Iowa-based Playwrights' Center affiliated writer Megan Gogerty wrote (and performed in) her play Feast, an alternative version of the Beowulf story as told from the point of view of the monster Grendel's mother, in 2019. Walking Shadow Theatre Company premiered their production in 2023, and have brought it back a few times since. But seeing it last night (for the first time in three years), it felt like it was written for this moment, for this place. They're performing at the Black Forest Inn at the corner of 26th and Nicollet in Minneapolis, mere feet from where Alex Pretti was murdered by federal agents five weeks ago. The play is about a lot of things, not the least of which is the abuse of power perpetrated upon people by "strong men," and some of the lines and themes resonate so strongly with today that it's unsettling. But also reassuring, to know that humans have been dealing with these issues for thousands of years, and still, somehow, we survive. The closing line of the play is "justice, now," which has never felt more urgent. A lot of us have "little baby rage" these days, and it's comforting to see it reflected in this new version of an ancient story. The eerie resonance of this play is one reason to see it, the other is Isabel Nelson's masterful and mesmerizing performance. And if you see it on a Saturday, I recommend going early to see John Heimbuch's solo performance of Beowulf, a one-hour one-person version of the original story. It's a great companion piece, and unless you're a Beowulf scholar or have recently read the ancient epic poem, it provides some nice background to the main event. The Feast continues weekends through the end of March, with one pay-what-you-can Monday performance on the 2nd. It's a must-see theatrical event, whether you've seen it before or not.

"The Odyssey" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Open Eye Figure Theatre

Charlie Bethel's one-man version of The Odyssey, which he adapted and performs, is an eye opener (no pun intended). I of course was familiar with the Greek epic poem from high school and college lit classes - you remember, it's the the one about the ten-year long sea voyage involving the one-eye Cyclops, the island of the Lotus-Eaters, the evil Circe (Cersei?) who turned men into pigs, the dangerous call of the Sirens, etc. etc. But this version allowed me to see the story in a whole new light. In two hour-long acts, Charlie spins this tale like a master storyteller, making it fun and accessible and compelling. He makes no pretense of the fact that he's telling a story to us, and in that sense it feels like the most ancient form of theater - storytelling. We could have been sitting around a fire or in a cave, except for the modern language mixed with traditional phrasing.

A quick primer for those of you who don't remember your high school or college lit class, The Odyssey recounts the journey of Odysseus as he endeavors to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War (the subject of another excellent one-man show, An Iliad, starring Stephen Yoakam at the Guthrie last year). Odysseus angers the gods, and they curse him to wander the seas for ten years before he finally makes it home after losing all of his men and ships, only to find his house filled with suitors eating his food and wooing his wife Penelope. It's a story that's filled with much tragedy, as Odysseus watches his men being eaten by a variety of ogres and perishing in the sea, but this version is quite light-hearted. Charlie tells it with a wink at the audience, skipping over parts, giving us hints of what's to come, and pausing the story to explain inside jokes.

His carefully metered speech is a thrill to listen to, every gesture and movement meaningful, as he casts us under his spell. He makes direct eye contact with the audience, thanks us for getting a joke, and encourages us to recite the phrase "rosy-fingered dawn" along with him. He leads us through all of Odysseus' travails, playing all the roles, and casting Odysseus as a bit too curious and bold for his own good. It ends with a poignant reunion as Penelope finally welcomes back her Odysseus, after testing him to make sure he's really who he says he is. The moral of the story is, "You don't give up, because someone needs you bad."

Charlie Bethel spins the tale of Odysseus
(photo by Dan Norma

The small stage at Open Eye is as crowded as I've seen it. Filled with stacks of books, chests and blocks of wood, a classic column, and a ladder that serves to give height to the Cyclops, which tipped on its side functions as a boat. Each prop has its place in the storytelling - a pile of ancient looking paper thrown in the air becomes a hurricane, a worn piece of fabric becomes a scarf or a sail.

I just happened to attend on a night with ASL interpretation, and even though I don't understand the language, it was almost as fascinating to watch the theatrical performance of Claire Alexander as she translated the words into moving poetry as it was to watch Charlie on stage.

Charlie Bethel's unique version of The Odyssey is produced by Walking Shadow Theatre Company and continues through April 6. Check it out for an entertaining journey through a familiar story.