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by Erin Shields, directed by Gideon Arthurs

Groundwater Productions, SummerWorks Festival, The Theatre Centre, Toronto

August 7-16, 2009

The subtitle for The Epic of Gilgamesh is “(up to the part when Enkidu dies)” meaning that Groundwater Productions is staging only half of the original Babylonian epic.  The primary flaw is that neither playwright Erin Shields nor director Gideon Arthurs has decided if they are presenting an important story or sending it up.  Shields’ language vacillates between anachronistic jokiness and attempts at poetry.  The action is a quick, superficial dash through the story with the many characters poorly introduced.  Frank Cox-O’Connell is too weak as Gilgamesh, the world’s mightiest king, but Speedo-clad Carlos González-Vio is quite effective as the half-wild Enkidu.  

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in Eye Weekly 2009-08-08.

Photo: Carlos González-Vio as Enkidu. ©A.Mandolin.