I attended the opening performance of Triumph of Love, a musical put on by UBC Theatre. I knew nothing about the play or the story beforehand, so I really did not know what to expect from the evening, and I ended up being completely blown away by the show. All of the actors are very capable singers and do the score justice. The show is hilarious, sexy, and beautifully acted.
The story is about Leonide, Princess of Sparta (Catherine Fergusson), who disguises herself as a man called Phocion and infiltrates the home of the man she fell in love with upon first sight, Agis (Zach Wolfman). Unbeknownst to her, Agis is actually the rightful heir to the throne of Sparta and the day on which she chose to meet him was the day on which his aunt, Hesione (Ghazal Azarbad) and uncle (Matt Kennedy) had planned for him to kill Leonide and take the crown for himself. She ends up seducing not only Agis, but his aunt and uncle as well. Meanwhile Harlequin (Charlotte Wright) and Dimas (Nathan Cottell), Hemocrates’ servants, both end up falling for Corine (Cassandra Szabo), Leonide’s servant.
The convoluted plot is comparable to the likes of Shakespeare’s comedies, and fans of UBC Theatre’s rendering of Twelfth Night last term will be sure to like Triumph of Love. Both shows feature cross dressing women, mixed up love, sexy, scheming servants, and straight-laced serious characters who are made the butt of the play’s joke.
In many ways, the play is an argument between the constructed dichotomy of reason and love. The true royal family (Agis, Hermocrates and Hesione) is on the side of the former, and all other characters seem to align themselves with the latter. Catherine Fergusson is stunning as Leonide, and does an impressive job of juggling her character’s four personas. She is love and passion personified, juxtaposed next to the strict reason and logic of Hermocrates and Hesione.
The show was largely comedic, however there were a few moments that I found rather moving. Chief among them was Ghazal Azarbad’s (Hesione’s) performance of Serenity, a number that left me completely enthralled, and wishing that the song would go on forever.
Triumph of Love is runs through till April 4th at Frederic Wood Theatre, and I cannot recommend it strongly enough. Take a break from your papers and projects and spend an evening in Sparta watching love triumph over all.
Click here to book tickets to the show online and here for more information from the UBC Theatre website!