Review: ATHENA at Emerson Studio In The Loretto-Hilton Center

Nothing can foil audiences from enjoying Athena, the final play of the Repertory Theatre St. Louis’ 2024/2025 Steve Woolf Studio Series. Beneath the parries and thrusts is a layered drama of fencers turned frenemies.

Staged entirely on a fencing piste, Grace Gardner’s coming of age play focuses on themes of competition, ambition, trust, self-discovery and female friendships. Director Nancy Bell's sharp production also explores what happens during those fleeting moments when a transformative friendship is formed and then flames out.

The plot centers on Mary Wallace and Athena, two competitive fencers who meet in competition. After citing Mary Wallace as the toughest opponent she has faced, Athena suggests she train with her for the junior nationals.

For these driven young women, the junior nationals are a holy grail that opens doors for recruiters who could offer them scholarship and further opportunities.  As a result, there are many rivalries at the fencing club, especially for these who strive to win.

After Mary Wallace agrees to train with Athena a complex relationship is formed. Like other theatrical dynamics this odd couple could not be more different. Mary Wallace comes from an educated background which results in her parents driving her to use fencing as a mean of gaining a scholarship.

Athena (whose real name is Darby) is driven by a desire to escape life in her cramped New York apartment and her chain-smoking father who is indifferent about her wellbeing. For her, a win means an opportunity for independence and self-reliance.

While Mary Wallace is more cerebral and reserved Athena is confident and obtrusive. This dynamic creates a series of problematic differences as the duo trains together.

Although they push other and focus on the tournament ahead, their relationship mirrors their jousting on the piste. A series of back-and-forth verbal clashes ensues as each opens up about their personal identities, ambitions, and vulnerabilities.

Shedding their baudry points, the rivals stroppy friendship grows under duress. Driven by a desire to excel, both woman work to support the other, even though they each hope to supplant the other in the tournament.

One key difference between the two is that Mary Wallace sees fencing as another facet of her goal to attain personal excellence while for Athena it is literally her only way out of her troubled adolescence. As the drama unfolds these stark contrasts manifest themselves, leading the two fencers to a showdown that forever change their futures.

Running just under ninety minutes with no intermission, Athena is not so much a parable on sporting rivalry as it is an exploration of friendship, hope, and adolescent intimacy.  This riveting production skillfully utilizes The Rep’s studio space to create a boxed in atmosphere that mimics the feelings of the two teens as they struggle to belong and secure control of their own futures.  

Faster than it once was, fencing is a sport that requires a lot of physical exertion. As a result, the two leads, Jailyn Genyse and Isa Venere spend much of the show in motion. This makes their performances even more wondrous.

With Athena audeiences are treated to watching two actors who will be leaving their mark on local theater in the future. Genyse shines as Mary Wallace. Her facial expressions utilize her eyes to convey brooding and a smoldering confidence. Sparring with her co-star at every turn, she never wears down, resulting in a performance that bristles with restrained energy. 

Isa Venere also holds her own. Her tough as nails performance offers flashes of vulnerability that make Athena relatable. She also uses comedy as an epee to avoid her problems. Whether Athena is on offensive or defensive, her emotional palavers with Mary Wallace are intense and revealing.

Together, the duo create characters that develop over the course of the play. The talented young actors enhance the aspects of their characters. Sorting through teenage awkwardness, competitive spirits and the pressures of their contemporizes, they give the turbulent relationship between Athena and Mary Wallace emotional heft.

Joining them is Carmen Cecilia Retzer as Jamie, an up and coming fencer who faces the brunt of Mary Wallace's advances as she moves up in the ranks. Retzer's brief stage time is not wasted however as she stubbornly confronts Mary Wallace in a key scene. 

Bell's perfect dissection of teenage angst resonates with audiences of all ages who have experienced similar situations. Despite the heavy tension her interpretation offers moments of comedic brevity that give Athena glimpses of youthful exuberance.

Poignant and empowering Athena is thoroughly engaging and engrossing. This is a well-acted theater experience that digs beneath the surface of a centuries old sport to expose a world where comradery and competition both have a price.

Athena plays at the Emerson Studio in the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University through February 9th. For showtimes and more information, visit http://www.repstl.org  

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