Ancient Greeks in World War II

The seven actors in Aquila Theatre got a real workout tonight in their performance of Homer's "The Iliad: Book One" at the Gallo Center for the Arts.

All played multiple characters, switching back and forth between humans and mortals. They tumbled on the ground, ran in slow motion, climbed up towers of trunks and collapsed on the floor. It was tiring just watching them.

The show, which follows the ninth year of the Trojan War, was set in World War II and included gas attacks and the sounds of fighter airplanes. There was also a lot of loud, tense, dissonant music to increase the sense of danger and pumped him fog to create mystery. There wasn't any set except a few trunks that were pushed around and stacked up to create everything from a boat to Zeus' throne.

Tall, dark and handsome John Buxton made for an appropriately dashing Achilles. Brian Silliman was unsympathetic as the angry king Agamemnon.

The only minor annoyance was the actors spent too much time shouting at each other. I understand that they want to keep the audience's interest but sometimes the scenes could be more effective in quieter tones. Overall, though, the show was an engaging, fresh presentation of a classic.

Unfortunately, tonight was the company's last Modesto performance so there are no more chances to see the group.

- Bee arts writer Lisa Millegan