Tristan and Yseult: An Emotional Roller Coaster By Lilly Harvey

As I sunk into the plush red seats in the Cutler Majestic Theater on Wednesday March 11^th, I was prepared to watch a traditional play. I looked up Tristan and Ysuelt beforehand and found that it was a French drama featuring star-crossed lovers.  I expected the kind of play with stiff, formal costumes, a traditional set, and a customary acting style.  However, within the first couple of minutes of the production it was clear that this would not be a traditional representation of this classic French tale. 

          The first thing that made this play unique was the ensemble, who were referred to throughout the play as the, “unloved.” This group of actors wore black raincoats as if they cried so often that they needed to protect themselves from their own tears.   While the dramatic plot unfolded, the “unloved,” offered bright bursts of comedy throughout.  For example, as a particular intense scene was unfolding they would stand near the scene, munching on popcorn.  They even offered a burst of comedy during intermission, when they each got up on stage and sang and danced.  While there performance had the entire audience doubled over laughing, they were all clearly very talented actors and singers.  The unique and humorous ensemble was a very necessary breath of fresh air during the otherwise extremely intense storyline. 

                      Plot wise, the play was a series of ups and downs that had me on the edge of my seat the entire way through.  This production had me laughing hysterically, gasping with shock, and crying all within the hour and a half that the performance took place.  There wasn’t a moment during the play when I was bored, or when I wasn’t fully engaged in what was happening onstage.  When the play ended the women behind me said, “I am completely emotionally drained right now I need to go home and eat a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.” Everyone around us laughed and nodded in agreement, including myself.  At the end of the performance, I think that every single member of the audience was feeling the exact same way as the women sitting behind me.  The actors and actresses in the play made the audience feel the ups and downs that the characters in the play were feeling, which made the play an emotional ride. 

          Overall, I would highly recommend this production.  There wasn’t a moment where I wasn’t entertained in some way. Tristan and Yseult is traditionally a very intense story, which was broken up with the use of humor.  The actors and actresses made you feel every emotion that their characters were feeling, so that the audience was riveted during every moment of the show.  If you want to experience the class French tale Tristan and Yseult in a completely different way come to the Cutler Majestic Theater!