Watch You Burn: Trojan Women MCI at the Unicorn

Trojan Women MCI is a deeply evocative play with a powerful message and a story you are sure to remember. This play, written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Ernie Nolan, follows the story of four women: Cassandra, Hecuba, Helen, and Andromache, who are victims of a human trafficking operation run by an unnamed character only ever referred to as “He.” 

I carried a deep appreciation for the consistent references to Greek mythology throughout Trojan Women MCI. A primary example being the character Cassandra, played by actress Haley Knudsen, and her visions of the future that are constantly ridiculed by the other characters. As a Greek mythology enthusiast, the mythological ties deeply appealed to me. However, if you don’t know much about Greek mythology, the Unicorn also offered a wall that was filled with small snippets of information about these characters, as well as their mythological counterparts. On this wall there were also accounts of, and quotes from, various survivors of human trafficking as well as various statistics about the presence of human trafficking across the country. 

Trojan Women MCI contained a wonderful combination of technical elements from a beautifully constructed set to a thrilling yet very unsettling sound design. The set, designed by Bethany Elliott, told an entire story on its own. The curtain constructed of clothes hung from a string, the mismatched chairs at the table, and the overall clutter of the space really sold the idea of being lived in, but still not quite home. Also, in one of the later scenes, a bag of chips is spilled across the floor, and the spilled chips remain there for the rest of the show. The messiness of the house really gave the audience a concept of how the girls disregarded the state of their living conditions, serving as a small, yet noticeable hint to a deeper disconnect between the characters and the space they lived in. 

The sound effects used in scenes between Hecuba and He immediately put me on edge when I first heard them. Loud, inhuman screeches filled up the space representing the speech of He; soft enough to not make you wince but enough to rattle you to your core. However, these scenes of the two were truly carried even more by the incredible acting of Amber McKinnon who plays Hecuba. Her reactions to the sounds really helped the audience get an idea what He might possibly be saying. The lighting, designed by Sally Farrand, also helped propel these scenes. For example, when Hecuba spoke to Him, she was bathed in a deep red light that brightened and pulsed as He spoke. The scenes featuring these two carried a deep weight that truly showed the danger the girls were in. Although they were some of the most unsettling scenes of the entire play, they were my favorite. The combination of all the different technical elements paired with McKinnon’s incredible acting truly lit up the stage, and I doubt I will ever forget them.

Trojan Women MCI was a gorgeously unsettling play that carried a crucial message that I believe all should see. It is better suited for a mature audience, but I highly recommend going to see it before the show closes. This play will move you - it might even make you cry - but it will leave you with a resonating message of hope long after the house lights have come up.