Photos by Dani Bryant
The Penelopiad has been a very special process and privilege for me. I love telling this story with this cast, this director, and this entire crew! It has allowed us to give voice to characters that have been neglected throughout the history of this entire story. Penelope is referred to as the devoted wife to Odysseus, who remained faithful to him while waiting 20 years for him to return to her after the Trojan War. There is not much more than that about her and the maids. However, Margaret Atwood was sure there was more to the story. What was it like for Penelope? What was it like for the maids? What were they to each other?
During this time, everything in a kingdom was the King’s property, including his Queen. Any behavior of hers must be in line with his desires. If not, there would be consequence. Living within those tight parameters must have been stressful at the least. The maids were born as property and did not have much choice in their destiny. Penelope was born as royalty and did not have much choice in her destiny either. Despite their lineage, they were all women. They were owned. Women then (and now) learned to find their own way of surviving, and they did so by finding each other. The relationship that forms between Penelope and her 12 favorite maids is the most beautiful and heartbreaking part of this story for me. Sure, at the beginning the maids ‘like’ her because she is the Queen, and have to do so. And sure, Penelope is extremely lonely at the palace in Ithaca and would make friends with anyone just to have companionship. But when they all come together in secret to execute Penelope’s clever unweaving scheme late each night, it is inevitable that bonds are formed. They are able to relax among each other and really be themselves. Penelope begins to see the maids as real people, as individuals with actual names and personalities. The maids also begin to see Penelope as a real person, as a woman not so different from them. In spite of their class differences, they soon realize in their hearts that they are not so separate from each other. This kind of relationship among Queen and maids was unheard of, even forbidden. Yet somehow they become trusted friends. Staying up late with friends working on a project, or just talking, laughing, drinking, cracking jokes is a magical thing. It breaks down preconceived ideas about the other. It solidifies relationships. And, it is just a good time.
During this time, everything in a kingdom was the King’s property, including his Queen. Any behavior of hers must be in line with his desires. If not, there would be consequence. Living within those tight parameters must have been stressful at the least. The maids were born as property and did not have much choice in their destiny. Penelope was born as royalty and did not have much choice in her destiny either. Despite their lineage, they were all women. They were owned. Women then (and now) learned to find their own way of surviving, and they did so by finding each other. The relationship that forms between Penelope and her 12 favorite maids is the most beautiful and heartbreaking part of this story for me. Sure, at the beginning the maids ‘like’ her because she is the Queen, and have to do so. And sure, Penelope is extremely lonely at the palace in Ithaca and would make friends with anyone just to have companionship. But when they all come together in secret to execute Penelope’s clever unweaving scheme late each night, it is inevitable that bonds are formed. They are able to relax among each other and really be themselves. Penelope begins to see the maids as real people, as individuals with actual names and personalities. The maids also begin to see Penelope as a real person, as a woman not so different from them. In spite of their class differences, they soon realize in their hearts that they are not so separate from each other. This kind of relationship among Queen and maids was unheard of, even forbidden. Yet somehow they become trusted friends. Staying up late with friends working on a project, or just talking, laughing, drinking, cracking jokes is a magical thing. It breaks down preconceived ideas about the other. It solidifies relationships. And, it is just a good time.
**Spoiler Alerts Below**
As we know, ‘all good things must come to an end’. Odysseus returns and turns everything upside down. He punishes and murders all of Penelope’s potential suitors who are squatting on his property, and hangs her favorite maids who he believes have been unfaithful to their responsibilities to his estate. He does this without even asking Penelope about it. She does not get to tell him the real story and set him straight about the maids and their devoted service. He doesn’t even ask her. He can’t be bothered with her. Instead, he slips something in her drink so she will sleep through it all. She wakes up to discover that all of her friends are dead, and she wasn’t able to do anything about it. She is heartbroken. She knows these girls well. She knows they must have been looking for her while ropes were fastened around their necks. She imagines what they felt like at the moment when they finally realized that she was not coming for them. Betrayal by a trusted friend stings on a deep level, and she knows that even though she did not know any of this happened until she woke up from a drugged sleep, she is still to blame. She promised the maids that she would protect them, and she wasn’t able to keep this promise. She lives with this guilt for eternity. The maids will never know that she was drugged. They know they were betrayed, and they live with this disappointment for eternity.
So, yeah. It doesn’t end on such a high note! But the point is that all of these women finally have their say. Good or bad, they get to voice their thoughts and feelings about their own experience in this story. They get to tell the world that they are much more complex and rich and full, and deserve more attention in this story than simply the identifier of ‘maid servant’ or ‘faithful wife’. Margaret Atwood felt there is much more to them. I agree. In fact, there is much more to all of us, and for better or for worse, each of our stories deserve its moment in the sun.
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As we know, ‘all good things must come to an end’. Odysseus returns and turns everything upside down. He punishes and murders all of Penelope’s potential suitors who are squatting on his property, and hangs her favorite maids who he believes have been unfaithful to their responsibilities to his estate. He does this without even asking Penelope about it. She does not get to tell him the real story and set him straight about the maids and their devoted service. He doesn’t even ask her. He can’t be bothered with her. Instead, he slips something in her drink so she will sleep through it all. She wakes up to discover that all of her friends are dead, and she wasn’t able to do anything about it. She is heartbroken. She knows these girls well. She knows they must have been looking for her while ropes were fastened around their necks. She imagines what they felt like at the moment when they finally realized that she was not coming for them. Betrayal by a trusted friend stings on a deep level, and she knows that even though she did not know any of this happened until she woke up from a drugged sleep, she is still to blame. She promised the maids that she would protect them, and she wasn’t able to keep this promise. She lives with this guilt for eternity. The maids will never know that she was drugged. They know they were betrayed, and they live with this disappointment for eternity.
So, yeah. It doesn’t end on such a high note! But the point is that all of these women finally have their say. Good or bad, they get to voice their thoughts and feelings about their own experience in this story. They get to tell the world that they are much more complex and rich and full, and deserve more attention in this story than simply the identifier of ‘maid servant’ or ‘faithful wife’. Margaret Atwood felt there is much more to them. I agree. In fact, there is much more to all of us, and for better or for worse, each of our stories deserve its moment in the sun.
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MJ is thrilled to be working with the Lost Geneva Project and this talented group of people! She is grateful to have performed with amazing theatres throughout Chicago including: Signal Ensemble, WildClaw, Mary Arrchie, New Leaf, Right Brain Project, The Nine, Lifeline, Provision, Trapdoor, Akvavit, Timeline, Jackalope, Second City National Touring Company, Annoyance Theater, ComedySportz, and her own –WNEP and Knife & Fork!