BWW Reviews: Idealism Meets Reality in Woolly Mammoth's GUARDS AT THE TAJ

If you were guarding the most beautiful thing on earth but could not look at it, would you try to sneak a peek anyway? Taking the situation a step further, what if you were ordered to do the unthinkable to the very hands that created such beauty, would you follow thru?

This is the opening predicament of Woolly Mammoth's philosophical Guards at the Taj. Flawlessly performed by Ethan Hova and Kenneth De Abrew, Rajiv Joseph's play uses India's most iconic landmark, the Taj Mahal, as the backdrop for an exploration, between friends, of beauty in both the ideal and real world.

It's the eve before the unveiling of the Taj Mahal and imperial soldiers Humayun (Hova) and Babur (De Abrew) are standing guard, clad in Frank Labovitz's elegant teal guardsman costumes, with their backs against the monument. Ordered not to look, they engage in a vigorous debate about whether or not to do so, and trade many rumors accompanying its construction. When Emperor Shah Jahan decrees that nothing as beautiful as the Taj Mahal is ever to be built again, the two lifelong friends and soldiers are left with the gruesome task of enforcing his order.

Joseph's play is complex and will have you leaving Woolly pondering its various themes. It has elements of dark humor and satire intermingled with ghastly situations that put the virtues of beauty and friendship on trial. At times, Joseph's script meanders causing the second and third scenes to become a tad monotonous, before finishing strong. It features a mix of modern language and imperial-sounding English that at times can be off-putting, but is always humorous. The character development is exceptional. Combined with De Abrew and Hova's outstanding performances and John Vreeke's solid direction, Woolly has delivered a stellar production.

The importance and strength of the chemistry between De Abrew and Hova cannot be understated. This is a two-man play, with the production resting on their shoulders. Their friendship at times comes off like a Martin and Lewis routine with Hova the straight man to De Abrew's humor, with the interaction building up to an impactful climax at the end of the play.

De Abrew portrays Babur as a dreamer, someone whose idealism was not striped away in his military training. Always thinking up inventions, he sees the world in a philosophical light. In contrast is Hova's straight-laced Humayun, seeking to gain his father's approval and live up to the family's military heritage. Together they provide the perfect counterbalance, like most great friendships, while fueling dreams and attempting to cope with the reality that unfolds before them.

Misha Kachman's production design doesn't reproduce the grand mausoleum and chooses instead to quite successfully convey elements of its design. A tainted white faux-marble covers the floor, with a black cloth against the wall. Jen Schriever's innovative lighting design incorporates scattered twinkle lights to create the night sky before giving way to waves of white light at the Taj Mahal's unveiling. When the action then moves to the palaces seedier outposts, Kachman's design creates a dungeon of nightmares.

Watching Guards at the Taj, you can't help but notice that the philosophical debate between the two guards is still ongoing in various facets of society - that of the idealist versus the realist, struggling to find common ground. That's what makes this a thought-provoking production and Joseph's words incredibly powerful.

Runtime: One hour and 30 minutes with no intermission

Warning: Adult language and situations are featured in Guards at the Taj

Guards at the Taj runs thru February 28th at Woolly Mammoth - 641 D St NW, Washington, DC 20004. For more information and to buy tickets, please call (202) 393-3939 or please click here.

Photo: Kenneth De Abrew, Ethan Hova. Credit: Scott Suchman

To post a comment, you must register and login.