In Search of Myths and Heroes

Ever since I was little, I've always loved folktales and mythology. After becoming enthralled with Michael Wood's famous and amazing series, The Story of India, I wanted to explore his other work. This program focuses on four of the world's most famous mythological stories, explores the actual geographic locations where they were said to have taken place, and analyzes historical and religious texts to see how the myths have been shaped and changed over the centuries and influenced by many different cultural traditions.

The Queen of Sheba
First appearing in the Old Testament of the Bible, this legendary queen is claimed by the Ethiopians to be the mother of their first king via a relationship with King Solomon. In the Yemeni tradition, she is the ruler of a vast kingdom, fabulously wealthy from the historical Arabian incense trade.

Arthur: Once and Future King
While believed by many to be the quintessential English folktale, Arthur's legend was composed over a period of hundreds of years and influenced by stories from Ireland, France and most of all, the rich and enduring traditions of the Celts, Britain's original inhabitants.

Shangri-La
A hidden valley in the Himalayas where the wisdom of humanity is preserved to rebuild the world after violence, corruption and lust for power has destroyed it. Drawing on ancient Indian philosophy, Wood travels straight into Tibet and visits mysterious monasteries and magnificent mountains.

Jason and the Argonauts
One of the most famous of all Greek myths, this story of an ocean voyage to retrieve a magnificent treasure is actually a tale of how the Greeks first started planting colonies in the resource-rich areas of the Black Sea, and how many of those ancient traditions still remain alive today.

The most unique and enchanting aspect of the series is the "storytelling". Whenever a text or source is quoted, the screen displays a black room lit only by candlelight, and a woman (a different one for each episode) recites the words in a soft and mysterious voice (each brings a unique touch, but the one for the "Shangri-La' episode is particularly adept).

Simply put, anyone looking for good historical information, highlighted by dramatic scenery, camerawork and captivating storytelling, this is the series for you!    

War Horse at Lincoln Center

Perhaps more than other major conflicts, World War I holds a unique place in history. It marked the first time heavy machinery had entered the field, and resulted in a greater loss of life than any conflict up to that time. European society was thrown into chaos, and nothing would ever be the same again. One fact about WWI, however, is not as widely known; this was the last time that cavalry was deployed as a major unit in armed combat. Recently adapted by Stephen Spielberg into a feature film, the production of War Horse now playing at Lincoln Center offers a unique and touching glimpse into this little known world of vanishing cavalry.

 

Upon seeing the performance, my feelings and reactions were somewhat mixed (as were those of the rest of my family). The storyline in-and-of-itself was not groundbreaking- the prized horse (and perhaps only friend) of a poor English farm boy is sold into the cavalry by his drunken, gambling father and sent to fight in France. The boy secretly enlists and faces many dangers to find his horse, and the two are reunited in the end. The most unique and memorable aspect of the production, however, was the effects. The horses were constructed essentially like mechanical costumes; an articulated framework covered with strips of cloth and leather and manned by 2 or 3 puppeteers. They were really the stars of the show, even more than the actors. There was also a massive computer screen set above the stage, which featured continuously changing digital images (fashioned to look like black and white drawings) relating to the time and place of the current scene.

There were also short musical pieces spaced throughout the performance, some of which were surprisingly good. While the storyline may not have been remarkable, the characters featured multi-layered personalities and displayed very genuine (if somewhat exaggerated) emotions. Overall, if you looked at the story from the personalities and life situations of the characters, you could easily understand their feelings as well as the reasons for their actions.

Seeing this performance has inspired me to view Spielberg's film to see how it stacks up. In any case, I would recommend anyone who can afford it to visit Lincoln Center and book a seat to this remarkable production.

4/14/12- movie comparison