Constellation Theatre opened its season with a play written and performed by Sue Jin Song, "Children of Medea". This is an intense journey through multiple worlds. The story of a Korean family with a mystery that profoundly transforms the life of the main character, the story of Medea, and the story of Alice, the Alice who fell down a rabbit's hole. Like a deftly braided ribbon, the seemingly stream of consciousness interactions between various characters from each of these worlds (all played by Sue Jin Song) forms a single narrative with each overlapping twist and turn. Like the protagonist, early on I struggled with making sense out of what appeared to be disparate thoughts, eventually discovering the meaning that each contributed. An awareness that would not have been possible without the union of each.
The actor was new to me. I found that as the play progressed, so did the sense I had of her commitment to the story. At one point about a third of the way in, she had me, and from then to end I was in sync. I look forward to encountering Sue Jin Song's work again, discovering where her talent will take her next. The setting was the woods, and kudos to the set designer. The creation was effective and in conjunction with the lighting design at times foreboding and at others enchanting. I also felt that the costume design was well conceived. The inclusion of the red "scarf" especially insightful.
I had the good fortune of seeing it on opening night performed live. It is still streaming through May.
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