A FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE ON A FAMILIAR JOURNEY
Playwright Kate Hamill takes Homer’s Odyssey and gives it a sharp, contemporary spin, transforming the tale of wily and deceitful Odysseus (Wayne T. Carr) into a meditation on PTSD, accountability, and the shifting tides of power. In this bold reimagining at American Repertory Theater, Odysseus isn’t just a hero trying to get home—he’s a man wrestling with the weight of his own war crimes, questioning whether he deserves the loyal Penelope (Andrus Nichols) and their son Telemachus (Carlo Albán) after years of bloodshed.
Alejandra Escalante, Kate Hamill, Nike Imoru, and Wayne T. Carr
Members of the cast face Polyphemus
But make no mistake—this Odyssey belongs as much to Penelope as it does to her long-absent husband. In a striking theatrical conceit, she is both the patient wife and the omnipotent storyteller, literally weaving the tale of Odysseus’ exploits even as she forges her own path in Ithaca. Nichols brings a wry, clear-eyed gravitas to the role, a perfect counterpoint to the swagger and self-doubt that Carr embodies so powerfully.
Wayne T. Carr, Kate Hamill, Alejandra Escalante and Nike Imoru
Visually, the production is a marvel. Scenic designer Sibyl Wickersheimer and lighting designer Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew conjure mythic landscapes with thrilling ingenuity, none more spectacular than the grotesque, one-eyed Cyclops Polyphemus (Jason O’Connell), who looms over the stage with an eerie blend of menace and absurdity (Puppetry Director and Designer Kate Brehm). Humor punctuates the show, particularly in the deliciously absurd sequences featuring Odysseus’ men transformed into pigs and the preening, tight-pants suitors strutting their stuff as they vie for Penelope’s hand (costumes by An-Lin Dauber). Sheep and cows are part of the action as well,
Wayne T. Carr, Kate Hamill
Then there’s Circe. Played with raunchy sexuality by Hamill herself, the sorceress is less of a seductive detour and more of a feminist reckoning, a foil to Penelope’s dignified sense of caution. She takes Odysseus and his men to task for their patriarchal assumptions with a knowing smirk, exposing their entitlement and blind spots with the kind of biting wit that feels centuries ahead of its time. In contrast, Penelope—steadfast, pragmatic, and perpetually underestimated—stands as the production’s emotional anchor, her restraint speaking volumes.
Keshav Moodliar, Chris Thorn, Wayne T. Carr, Nike Imoru
Andrus Nichols and Wayne T. Carr
Carr’s Odysseus, however, is no mere swashbuckler. His climactic monologue—raw, unflinching, and devastating—forces the audience to confront the human cost of war, transforming a tale of adventure into a searing examination of trauma and redemption. Hamill takes liberties with the original epic, trimming characters, reshaping others, and reorienting the narrative to interrogate who gets to tell the story—and at what cost.
The Cast
The result? A thrilling, thought-provoking Odyssey that refuses to simply mythologize its hero, opting instead to question the very nature of heroism itself.
Wayne T. Carr and Alejandra Escalante
photos by Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall
The Odyssey
American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.)
Harvard University
Loeb Drama Center in Harvard Square, 64 Brattle St in Cambridge
3 hours, including two intermissions
ends on March 16, 2025
for tickets (from $35), visit A.R.T.
for more shows, visit Theatre in Boston
