The Edwards Collective views two exhibitions at the MET Breuer in NYC (Odyssey: Jack Whitten Sculpture & Obsession: Klimt, Schiele, and Picasso) then heads to Brooklyn for a production of Bacchae.
William Keiser (’19) reflects:
“Tonight I caught onto the end of the Edwards Collectives’ long day of seeing art at MET Breuer and arrived just in time to catch most of The Bacchae, directed by Ann Bogart and performed by SITI company. The production was largely faithful to Euripides’ original text, and most of us in the group (seven or so ladies and I – whew!) were familiar with the play beforehand. Most of us had also seen Gurls, Brandon Jacob-Jenkins wildly amazing rendition of the Bacchae that premiered at the new Lewis Center opening last October.
This production featured a chorus of suit jacket and sneaker clad individuals of mixed gender, postmodern set design elements, piped in music, and many breakings of the fourth wall. It also featured Agave, who delivered many of her lines in Japanese, a feature which confused some, delighted some, and felt culturally problematic to others of us in the group.
I really enjoyed the conversation in the subway after, where Rasheeda, Ellie, Zoe, Sylvie, Kateryn, and I picked apart the play and its staging and why many of us, myself included, felt like it was lacking something important, even though we largely enjoyed it. Our conversation snowballed in the NJ transit back into a discussion of gender, religion, exclusivity, queerness, and progressive politics in the Princeton community from which I learned a lot and shared a lot. I think this after-performance critique/complaining/bonding session really exemplifies what I love about the Edwards Collective. It is through these critical conversations that we give each other the courage to keep our eyes open and have the courage of our convictions, knowing that we are challenged and supported in what we are doing by this community.”
