What I liked
Lariah’s performance is powerful, stunning, and magnetic. She captures the casual ease of a Kassandra at the end of her life, avoiding many of the traps commonly seen when portraying the character. Kassandra has been a favorite of mine for years, and she’s often so poorly represented. Lariah ties the classical archetype of a woman who speaks truth and is ignored to the all-too-familiar and modern examples of this. Her Kassandra is not insane or someone to be pitied. She is a powerful figure whose power has been denied or compromised by the men and gods in her life. Each of Lariah’s movements are meticulous as she retells the story of Troy in her Kassandra’s kitchen over breakfast, and I loved the ways she signified each of the characters (especially Paris). As a Greek myth/classics nerd, I also really appreciated the program and the adherence to Greek-inspired transliterations and pronunciations!
What I didn't like
I thought the weakest moments of the show were the ones where Kassandra re-enacts her recitation of prophecy. They were the only parts of the show where I felt Lariah seemed self-conscious and her movements non-specific, which along with the ability to hear the person in the sound booth flickering the lights briefly took me out of the show.
My overall impression
Lariah and Whitman invite us to a “Last Breakfast” of a priestess with the bittersweet gift of foresight reflecting on her past and future. You will be entranced and moved by this mighty interpretation from an actor who isn’t afraid to bring the audience in and connect with them in her most powerful and vulnerable moments.
