'Hephaestus' Stands On His Own Two Feet

When the Lookingglass Theatre Company premiered Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale in 2005, the buzz around the city caught fire like Mount Olympus erupting and became an instant sold-out hit. This time around is sure to be the same. Created and Directed by Lookingglass Artistic Associate Tony Hernandez with a story by Hernandez and Ensemble member Heidi Stillman, Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale is not only one the most creatively stunning pieces of visual performance art to be mounted in the last decade, it also serves as an emotional piece of theater drawing veteran circus performers from the Wallenda Family, Ringling Bros. and Cirque du Soleil.

The tale begins as a young girl (Abigail Droeger) narrates a bedtime story, which is based on the Greek myth. Hephaestus(played by Hernandez), God of fire, more specifically  fire of the jeweler's and blacksmith's forge, was also the god of volcanoes. He is the son of Zeus and Hera  and is born crippled and deformed. Since these which are not qualities the Gods of newborns seem to cherish, Hera, nurturing mother that she was, tosses her son off Mount Olympus. Hephaestus' fall lands him into a world of sea nymphs who, with silk like panels, wrap and unwrap their bodies from the theater's lighting grid to the stage floor.

As the story continues, Hephaestus becomes a great artist creating beautiful jewelry which takes the form of hula hoops which Thetis (Anya Stankus) twirls and swirls effortlessly and magically.A wiz with metal, Hephaestus creates men called The 'Silver Guys' (Jarrett Dapier, Nich Galzin, Richie McGuire) and throughout the evening give us percussion breaks, acrobatic dances and a giant gyroscopic wheel.

Hera, the doting mother, continually sends her servants down to earth to keep tabs on her 'fallen' son. They include Iris (cloudswing artist Anna Vigeland); Ares, the God of war (Almas Meirmanov, a second-generation Ringling Brothers performer from Kazakhstan); and Aphrodite (Anya Stankus), the Goddess of love, with whom Hephaestus falls head over heels.

As the evening draws to a close Hephaestus forges braces for his crippled legs while his mother  asks Hephaestus to build her a throne. In the most knuckle biting act several of the performers, including Hephaestus, take the throne up on the high wire and carry it across, with Hera precariously balancing in it. It is the small, intimate space at the Lookingglass that makes you beguile at the technique, control and athleticism of each amazing performer.

Kevin O'Donnell and Andre Pluess' original music add just the right atmosphere for this fantasy to take place in as does the lighting and sets by Brian Sidney Bembridge.

Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale, plays though February 24, 2008.   Ticket prices range from $30-$60 and are available by calling the Box Office: 312-337-0665 or vistit www.lookingglasstheatre.org

Photo Credit: Sean Williams

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