Reviews by Lara Shalson for SF Bay Guardian

Troilus & Cressida

Troilus and Cressida John Hinkel Park, Southampton between San Diego and Somerset, Berk; (510) 704-8210. Pay what you can. Sat-Sun, 5pm. Through Sept 1. It's not exactly surprising that this is one of Shakespeare's least popular plays. With more than 20 characters and several loosely intertwining plotlines that often seem unmotivated - partly due to gaps in the text and partly due to the fact that the characters themselves are unsure about their reasons - it's a difficult play to follow. The love affair between Troilus and Cressida is straightforward enough, but it's almost a side note to the story of the Trojan War and some of its most celebrated warriors (the Greek Achilles and the Trojan Hector among them) that's also being told. Brushing up on the text beforehand (or at least reading the notes in the program) is worth the effort. The play does provide food for thought, making some valid points about the tragic absurdities of war, and the Shotgun Players' production is generally solid and enjoyable. (Shalson)

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Original article on the web at
http://www.sfbg.com/36/45/x_list_stage.html