Songs of the Siren: The Greeks Remixed

"Songs of the Siren: Greeks Remixed" had an interesting series of seven different stories based on Greek Myth.  The seven were as follows: Serpent's Coil, With Feathers, Fugue #4, Persephone, The Torment of Io, Los Lobos De La Noche and Outside the Colorful Lines.  Love was the major theme throughout the play.  There were two love triangles, for instance.

“Serpent's Coil” was the bad apple in “Songs of the Siren.” It didn't make sense to watch Serpent's Coil (Cynthia Garcia) yabbing her brains out, and it was even worse that she smoked a cigarette.  This scene was offensive and off-the-wall compared to other scenes.  

“With Feathers” was a story between Decker (Sam Floto) and Paula (Calli Dunaway).  “With Feathers” shows the love and hate relationship between a couple, who argued about who can open an unmarked box.  The unmarked box caught the audience’s attention, leaving them itching to know what is in the box.  Out of love, Decker (Sam Floto) offered Paula (Calli Dunaway) the chance to open the box and see what is in it.  Paula resisted, since she wanted Decker to have his chance. 

They went back and forth about who should open the box.  They kept saying “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” at each other until they got too tired to fight. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” they both would yell at each other. They both wondered what was in the big box. 

Abaddon (Ryan Phillips) in “Fugue #4” was hilarious wearing nothing but a banner saying “CENSORED” on his private parts.

“Fugue #4” is about a love triangle between Zeus  (Jared Crossman), Semele (Laura Price), a mortal, and Hera (Rachel Link). Hera was so angry at Zeus for impregnating Semele that she convinced Semele to ask Zeus to reveal his true self as a god, knowing that this would kill Semele.  Abaddon, Semele’s friend, wore a long red robe and nothing but a banner with the word “CENSORED” under his robe, causing the audience to fall down laughing. Abaddon cried hysterically in a funny way, in grief about the deaths of his two friends.  This scene made the audience laugh their heads off  even though he was incredibly sad.  It was a hilarious sight.

“Persephone” explains why there are four seasons in a year.  There was a sun, a moon and a large snowflake flowing in the air in a circular fashion during this scene.  Hades tricked Persephone (Calli Dunaway) into eating a few pomegranate seeds, which sent her to the underworld for a year.  During her absence, earth became barren and desolate —which became the fall and winter seasons.  Persephone explained how she felt about seeing her enemy, Hades, year after year in a monologue.  Her monologue expressed her reaction to Hades’ evil plot.  Persephone shared how much she misses her mother when she is with Hades.

King Lycaon (Aaron Orens) is being challenged by a fellow God.

It was amusing when Luna/Lady Zeus (Susana Batres) showed up in Las Vegas-style clothes—with a sparkling purple hat and a matching vest and cell phone during the “Los Lobos De La Noche” story. Luna/Lady Zeus was trying so hard to get her sincere messages through King Lycaon's (Aaron Orens) big head. This king did not care if his people were starving. “People are hungry while you are feeding your fat feet!” Luna/Lady Zeus said. King Lycaon, with his hair heavily greased, didn't listen.

Aside from the Greek drama, Lockjaw (Albert Soratorio) and Perrito (Marlon Deleon) were the stage clowns.

 Io (Eriko Azuma) and Hera (Rachel Zink) trying to compete for the handsome Zeus (Garrett Marchbank) in “The Torment of Io,” one of the seven myths presented in the play.

Hera lies down, while everyone else dances around in "Songs of the Siren."

All photos were by Keith Ian Polakoff

Overall, “Songs of the Siren” is worth coming to see.  The theater students did a great job modernizing the storylines throughout the play, many of which had a theme focused on love.  The underlying messages were shown in a unique way, but everyone can still relate.

“I think the students will find the show engaging, whether or not they have a working knowledge of Greek mythology,” theater arts graduate student David Vegh said.   

“Songs of the Siren” will run in the Players Theater on campus on Tuesdays through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. until Dec. 5th. There will be no shows between Nov. 24 to Nov. 29th, in observance of Thanksgiving. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for students with valid ID. Call (562) 985-5526 or visit www.csulb.edu/depts/theatre for tickets and information.