The Hammer Trinity House Theatre

Fri 730p; Sat/Sun Marathons 2p-11p 

Highly Recommended - "compelling and highly entertaining.." K. Reid, Chicago Tribune

Four Stars - .."it's a crowning achievement" - K. Vire, TimeOut Chicago

"thrilling and thought provoking." Z. Thompson, Chicago Reader

Highly Recommended - Considering the popularity of fantasy epics..it is a wonder that more theaters aren’t performing them... House Theatre of Chicago proves that it is one of the few that can deliver" - B. Hughes, StageandCinema.com

Highly Recommended  - "I loved this play, all nine hours of it" - K.  Walsh, TheFourthWalsh.com

Four Stars - "It is nothing short of a masterpiece." - Chicago Stage Standard

 

Tickets $30 (Fri); $65 (Sat/Sun Marathons)

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2/20/15 - 5/3/15

Fri 730p; Sat/Sun Marathons 2p-11p


Highly Recommended - 'Hammer Trinity': Fantasy of kings, quests and stories for an absorbing 9 hours - Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune 3/10/15. - "Full disclosure: I've never made it all the way through "The Lord of the Rings" — on the page or on screen. My notions of Arthurian legend derive from seeing "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" at an impressionable age, with a soupcon of "Excalibur" tossed into the mix. In other words, though I respect the genre, I am leagues away from being a fantasy fangirl.

Nevertheless, as a first-time tourist to the House Theatre of Chicago's New Plymouth, the embattled capital at the heart of "The Hammer Trinity," I was enthralled through much of the nine-hour marathon run on Sunday. And while Nathan Allen and Chris Mathews' epic (directed by the former) doesn't quite encompass the full range of humanity's highs and lows found in Sean Graney's towering 12-hour Greek mash-up "All Our Tragic," it still adds up to a compelling and highly entertaining examination of how collective stories simultaneously guide us and blind us, twisting our personal and political DNA into a double helix of moral certitude masking deeper doubts. (Also like "All Our Tragic," the marathon is broken into easily digestible chunks with a meal break — though the meal is on you.)


Composed of 2012's "The Iron Stag King," 2013's "The Crownless King," and the new concluding chapter, "The Excelsior King," the trinity traces the struggles of Casper Kent (Kevin Stangler), an orphan child of two members of "The Hand," the shared leadership of an island (mapped out in the program and in the lobby) composed of such disparate climes as the frozen Glaze and the wooded Pines.

Raised by a foster father in the latter realm, Casper is coaxed by magician/storyteller Hap the Golden (William Dick) to seek the Hammer, which, like Excalibur, will mark him as the true king once he lifts it. In doing so, Hap tells Casper, the "greater good" will be served and the fractured "crownless" realm restored to harmony. Like Frodo, Casper is joined in his quest by a motley crew, including female chess-and-archery ace Rienne (Kara Davidson), Viking Wilke Forsbrand (Aaron Latterell), and the brooding gunslinger Hollow Thom Gadsden (John Henry Roberts).

But the Crownless rebels have their own story, egged on by the dragon Irek Obsidian (voiceover by none other than Tracy Letts), who believe that Hap's "greater good" narrative is a cover for denying them personal liberty. The story goes to sea as pirate Davy Boone (Joe Bianco) captures King Caspar and Queen Rienne in "The Crownless King," which, like most middle episodes of trilogies, is probably the least seaworthy on its own.

With "The Excelsior King," Allen and Mathews are essentially providing a Hegelian synthesis in fantasy-pastiche form for the competing narratives of Hap and Irek, aided by Casper's new love and Irek's daughter, July of the Seven Foxes (Kay Kron, who is usually seen with about three or four adorable puppet foxes created by Jesse Mooney-Bullock). Is it possible to "stalemate" the spiral of destruction and find balance in the middle? That's the central question driving the final showdown in the trilogy.

I've certainly found some of the hero's-journey obsessions of the House derivative in the past. But the storyline here nearly always finds its own middle ground (or Middle Earth, if you must) between the naifish and the sorrowful, while posing some poignant and harsh questions. Can a man who practiced genocide in the name of peace ever be redeemed? Can stories really "save" us, or do we use them as ways of closing off parts of the world we don't want to know about? These aren't new questions, certainly — but they raise the stakes in a satisfying way here. And while there are places where the script could use further pruning and sharpening, the internal logic of the narrative is easy to follow over the three parts.

And despite the high-minded meditations on narrative and its discontents, this is still a House show, replete with the high-octane theatricality that they do best. From Melissa Torchia's inspired costumes to Joshua Horvath's immersive sound design to Mooney-Bullock's puppet creations (which include the titular "iron stag," reminiscent of Handspring's "War Horse"), "The Hammer Trinity" provides plenty of visual treats. The cast — especially Roberts' haunted Gadsden, Joey Steakley's vicious-yet-foppish "crownless" leader Henley Hawthorne, and Christopher Hainsworth's Kaelen Wayne, the story-loathing "virtue in selfishness" villain of "The Excelsior King" — deliver crowd-pleasing performances that thread the needle between cliche and archetype.

In an echo of one of the best-loved theatrical narratives, special mention must be made of understudy Latterell, who jumped into the role of Wilke for the injured JJ Phillips and absolutely killed it. He may not have earned a crown, but Latterell certainly deserves MVP status.


 

Four Stars - The Hammer Trinity - Kris Vire, TimeOut Chicago 3/15/15 - If you can’t wait until March 2016 to see a live-action Batman v. Superman, you can see a sort of alternate-universe version onstage in the new third installment of the House Theatre’s fantasy trilogy: An idealistic young orphan who took his adoptive father’s surname, Kent, takes on one Mr. Wayne, a pragmatic man of wealth who believes his advanced technology and strategic prowess can and should overpower more arcane forces.

Okay, Christopher Hainsworth’s ultralibertarian "rogue Viking" Kaelan Wayne is pretty clearly the bad guy to Kevin Stangler’s Casper Kent, champion of the greater good. But there’s no question co-writers Chris Mathews and Nathan Allen know what they’re doing. Wrapping up what they’re now calling the Hammer Trinity, a fantasy epic with notes of Americana, they know the superhero is as much a part of American mythology as the Gadsden flag to which they also allude.
It’s possible to see part three of the trilogy, The Excelsior King, by itself most Friday evenings during the run. But I don’t recommend dropping in there any more than I would renting The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies on its own—you come in too far into the story, hurtling toward the climactic battle with too little time to get acquainted with the characters (or, here, to figure out how and why Casper finds himself trapped in stately Wayne Manor).
Better to go all in, and see the Hammer Trinity in its entirety at a Saturday or Sunday marathon performance. Parts one and two, The Iron Stag King and The Crownless King, have been somewhat revised since their debuts in 2012 and 2013 (click through the titles to read my original reviews), and some of the new cast members brought on board for the full endeavor bring their own new colors to the whole: William Dick, taking over for Cliff Chamberlain as manipulative storyteller Hap the Golden, gives his man more of a seedy undercurrent from the start, while Stangler’s Boy Scout demeanor and dark mane of curls only underline the Superman vibe in comparison to his blond-haired predecessor, Brandon Ruiter.
The allegorical ties to America’s self-told story get ever more tenuous in the final entry, in which we find ourselves ultimately rooting for a benevolent king to establish the balance between individual liberty and the greater good. But for an epic that takes pains to frame storytelling itself as a literally world-shaping force, The Hammer Trinity finds plenty of magical examples amid its swords, sorcery and six-shooters. (Did I mention the giant dragon puppet voiced by Tracy Letts?)
There’s a particularly memorable coup de theatre in the final act, which sees heroine July of the Seven Foxes (Kay Kron) leading a charge into a seemingly hopeless battle, that combines simple, clever staging with the sheer amount of story we’ve gone through with these characters to produce a giddy chill in recognition of theater’s unique powers. It’s a crowning achievement.

Okay, Christopher Hainsworth’s ultralibertarian "rogue Viking" Kaelan Wayne is pretty clearly the bad guy to Kevin Stangler’s Casper Kent, champion of the greater good. But there’s no question co-writers Chris Mathews and Nathan Allen know what they’re doing. Wrapping up what they’re now calling the Hammer Trinity, a fantasy epic with notes of Americana, they know the superhero is as much a part of American mythology as the Gadsden flag to which they also allude.

It’s possible to see part three of the trilogy, The Excelsior King, by itself most Friday evenings during the run. But I don’t recommend dropping in there any more than I would renting The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies on its own—you come in too far into the story, hurtling toward the climactic battle with too little time to get acquainted with the characters (or, here, to figure out how and why Casper finds himself trapped in stately Wayne Manor).

Better to go all in, and see the Hammer Trinity in its entirety at a Saturday or Sunday marathon performance. Parts one and two, The Iron Stag King and The Crownless King, have been somewhat revised since their debuts in 2012 and 2013 (click through the titles to read my original reviews), and some of the new cast members brought on board for the full endeavor bring their own new colors to the whole: William Dick, taking over for Cliff Chamberlain as manipulative storyteller Hap the Golden, gives his man more of a seedy undercurrent from the start, while Stangler’s Boy Scout demeanor and dark mane of curls only underline the Superman vibe in comparison to his blond-haired predecessor, Brandon Ruiter.

The allegorical ties to America’s self-told story get ever more tenuous in the final entry, in which we find ourselves ultimately rooting for a benevolent king to establish the balance between individual liberty and the greater good. But for an epic that takes pains to frame storytelling itself as a literally world-shaping force, The Hammer Trinity finds plenty of magical examples amid its swords, sorcery and six-shooters. (Did I mention the giant dragon puppet voiced by Tracy Letts?)


There’s a particularly memorable coup de theatre in the final act, which sees heroine July of the Seven Foxes (Kay Kron) leading a charge into a seemingly hopeless battle, that combines simple, clever staging with the sheer amount of story we’ve gone through with these characters to produce a giddy chill in recognition of theater’s unique powers. It’s a crowning achievement" 

 

 

Recommended - The Hammer Trinity is a nine-hour fantasy epic that feels surprisingly short: A marathon staging from the House Theatre of Chicago is thrilling and thought-provoking—even if you don't like the genre" - Zac Thompson, Chicago Reader 3/11/15. - "I have trouble following complicated plots. I find that it's especially difficult with narratives about wars, imaginary lands, and wars in imaginary lands. For a little while I can keep track of the various battalions of characters and their movements, but then they start to intermingle and I forget who's allied with whom, where they've stashed the sacred whatsit, and why so much depends on one brave orphan. And if there's a twist of any kind, forget about it.

In The Hammer Trinity from the House Theatre of Chicago, playwrights Nathan Allen and Chris Mathews gorge themselves on each of those dishes in a multicourse banquet. Sure enough, there are wars, imaginary lands, complex alliances, a sacred whatsit, several brave orphans, and more twists and turns than you can shake a magic hammer at. I had no clue what was going on for long stretches, yet—and here's another twist for you—I found it both thrilling and thought-provoking.

The first two installments of the "trinity," The Iron Stag King and The Crownless King, were staged by the House in 2012 and 2013; now along comes the finale, The Excelsior King. You can see the three plays individually (though they don't stand alone very well) or in a marathon performance lasting nine hours, including five intermissions and a dinner break.

Allen (who also directs) and Mathews cover a whole lot of imaginary ground during that time, and I'll admit to getting lost more than once in the overgrown thickets of plot. But a good fantasy epic has more to offer than a relentless flow of events. J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series conveys the fullness of the author's made-up universe, which seems to stretch far beyond the edges of the tale we're told; HBO's Game of Thrones, based on George R.R. Martin's novels (which I haven't read), provides juicy court intrigue and fucked-up family drama. In The Hammer Trinity, extraordinarily vivid stagecraft is paired with a searching analysis of politics and national mythmaking.

It starts out as a relatively straightforward quest narrative. Our guileless hero, Casper Kent (Kevin Stangler), is sought out by a wizard cum storyteller named Hap the Golden (an enthusiastic William Dick, costumed to look like Dr. John). Hap reveals that Casper is not the simple farmer's son he believes himself to be, but the long-lost heir to the land's now-dead queen. Casper's mission is to find and lift his mother's magic hammer, which will make him king and unite the warring folk of the realm under a benevolent monarchy.

Once Casper gets his mitts on the hammer at the end of part one, Allen and Mathews widen the scope beyond the new king and his compatriots—chiefly, a stern Viking (JJ Phillips), a rueful cowboy (John Henry Roberts), and a chess whiz (Kara Davidson) who comes in handy at strategy-planning sessions—to encompass the other side of Casper's story of triumph. This involves the unwashed mass of self-proclaimed "crownless" folk (and some outlaws, pirates, and capitalists) who'd prefer freedom and democracy to playing their prescribed roles in Hap's rigid hierarchy.

They have a storyteller of their own: a dragon called Irek Obsidian. He looks something like a giant slab of shale come to life (the puppet design is by Jesse Mooney-Bullock) and is voiced by none other than Steppenwolf Theatre Company actor and playwright Tracy Letts. Irek spends much of the second play persuading Casper that his true destiny lies in relinquishing the crown, setting the stage for liberty or chaos depending on your perspective. The point Allen and Mathews seem to be making is that true power lies with whoever controls the narrative. "Stories save us all!" the characters keep shouting, but they have a definite destructive force here as well.

By the beginning of the third part, the two sides—Hap's and Irek's—are locked in spectacular civil war. It's up to a new storyteller, the hippielike July of the Seven Foxes (Kay Kron), to spin a yarn that will convince everyone to lay down their arms and embrace pluralism. How she does this, exactly, is left awfully vague, but it somehow results in a romance with Casper and happily-ever-afters for most (though not all) of his friends.

 

GRASP THIS HAMMER WHILE THE IRON IS HOT! - Barnaby Hughes, StageandCinema.com - "
Considering the popularity of fantasy epics The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, it is a wonder that more theaters aren’t performing them. While demand is certainly there, perhaps the problem lies in lack of resources. Most companies simply don’t have the talent or the money to mount a fantasy epic, not least because of the special effects that audiences have come to expect. With its larger-than-life Hammer Trinity, The House Theatre of Chicago proves that it is one of the few that can deliver. Co-written by artistic director Nathan Allen and company member Chris Mathews, The Hammer Trinity appears to have reached completion with the world premiere of Part Three: The Excelsior King.

While it’s easy to simply delight in the story and the special effects, The Hammer Trinity gets to the root of what theater—and to some extent culture, society, and religion—is all about: storytelling. Who is telling our story? Do we have control over the story or does it control us? It’s a variant perspective on the perennial problem of free will and determinism/predestination. -

Each part of The Hammer Trinity focuses on one story and one storyteller. In Part One: The Iron Stag King, Hap the Golden (William Dick) spins the tale of Casper Kent (Kevin Strangler) and his claim to the iron hammer, symbol of royal authority. In Part Two: The Crownless King, Casper Kent relinquishes his crown under the competing influence of the dragon Irek Obsidian (voiced by Tracy Letts). In Part Three: The Excelsior King, Irek’s daughter July of the Seven Foxes (Kay Kron) tells a new story that aims to bring peace and concord to the divided kingdom. Viewed as a whole, The Hammer Trinity is perfectly dialectical in structure: thesis, antithesis, synthesis.

Among the eighteen cast members who perform more than fifty roles between them, a number deserve to be singled out. First, co-writer Chris Mathews gave an incredible performance as Wilke Forsbrand on opening day. Taking over last minute from J. J. Phillips, who dropped out at the end of Part One: The Iron Stag King, Mathews would occasionally jump into his fight scenes reading the stage directions. The strategy worked surprising well, simplifying the action and adding an unexpectedly humorous touch. Kevin Strangler brings welcome sincerity and nobility of heart to his role as Casper Kent, as we see the simple farm boy gradually develop into a confident and capable king. Returning cast members Joey Steakley and Ben Hertel both wring plenty of laughs out of their respective roles. Tracy Letts, William Dick, and Isabel Liss contribute deliciously rich and mature voices.

Beyond the excellent storytelling and talented ensemble cast, what truly makes The Hammer Trinity a wonder to behold is the strong production team. Director Nathan Allen brings prolific vision, imagination, and expertise to the realization of his and Mathew’s fantasy epic on stage. He is ably assisted by more than a dozen production staff who have designed and coordinated all the many pieces that make The Hammer Trinity a dazzling and complex whole.

Scenic designer Collette Pollard has created a long hall-like space between tiered rows of facing seats through which the action ebbs and flows. Properties manager Eleanor Kahn describes battles scenes using scale models that progress from land (Part 1) to sea (Part 2) to air (Part 3). Animals are brought to life through Jesse Mooney-Bullock’s puppets, vividly realized with moving parts and all, which are deftly animated by various actors. These include July’s foxes, Hap’s iron stag and birds, a snake, an eagle, and two enormous dragons. Costume designer Melissa Torchia has created unique personas for the many characters and peoples. Of particular note are Henley Hawthorne’s flamboyant, lace ruffle-trimmed, silk damask suit and Rienne Boileau’s elaborate braids and elegantly simple wedding dress.

Even if you’ve already seen the first two installments of The Hammer Trinity, go and see the whole thing in one marathon performance on Saturdays and Sundays. It’s a truly epic experience not to be missed! Otherwise, you can catch single shows (Part 3) and the odd double feature (Parts 1 and 2) on Friday nights.

 

 

Review “The Hammer Trinity” (House Theatre): HAMMER Nails It! - Katy Walsh, TheFourthWalsh.com - "It’s finished.  The third installment, “The Excelsior King” completes The House Theatre’s epic adventure.  And even though I had already seen the first two,  I wanted to see THE HAMMER TRINITY in its entirety.  And I thoroughly enjoyed my 9 hour binge watch of the “Games of Thrones” meets “Lord of the Rings” with a side of “Spamalot”!


Playwrights Nathan Allen and Chris Matthews penned an original story of stories.  On the surface, their plays are about the rise of Casper Kent (played by the dashing Kevin Stangler) from orphan nobody to King.  His ascent to the throne has all the obstacles of an innocent overcoming evil to rule.  But this isn’t any ordinary birthright quest, this is a story foretold.  The twist in Allen and Matthews‘ odyssey is that two opposing factions are driving the journey.  Below the main story are the two storytellers; Irek Obsidian (voiced by Tracy Letts) and Hap the Golden (played by William Dick).  Letts and Dick use various means to shift the adventure to their advantage.  Their game playing is on a broader realm that has evolved over decades. This is the larger story.  On a more rudimentary  level, Allen and Matthews weave in a chess player as a crusade strategist (played by the spunky Kara Davidson).  The rules of chess serve as a framework to give the stories order.

And it needs order because this show is complicated!  But it needs to be complicated to keep people riveted for nine hours.  The phrase “Story save us all” is repeated often.  And truly Allen and Matthews’ story of stories saves us from boredom as we continually try to determine the forces of good and evil.

Under Allen’s direction, the large, ensemble is tireless and fearless.  Many of the actors play multiple roles with distinction.  They battle it out in a major fight scene, run off the stage and return as an adorable fox (cool puppetry by Designer Jesse Mooney-Bullock).        The action is fierce.  And the cast commit 110% to this marathon.  At the opening, the gallant JJ Phillips, in a very physical role as the viking, dislocated his shoulder during the first part.  Playwright Matthews continued in that role for the second and third part.  The marveling cast adapted to the mid-show replacement and the show went on.  Another blip in the marathon day was a computer glitch that broke the rhythm for five minutes.  Again, the talented cast re-energized and came back full force.  Ah, the unexpected aspect of live theatre!  This is why we’d commit an entire day to experiencing it.     


The ongoing challenge for the audience is deciphering the good guys from the bad guys.  Allen keeps us guessing with actors teetering on the line.  In the original part 1 & 2, Cliff Chamberlain played Hap much more smarmy.  In the TRINITY, Dick plays Hap with an almost Wizard of Oz glint.  His true intentions are hidden under a grandfatherly facade. The elegantly dressed Joey Steakley (Henley) is unapologetically brutal.  At times, Steakley’s coldness is funny and other times it’s just very very disturbing.  Joey Bianco (Davy) is a likable family-man-and-killer.  After playing an amusing rogue under Bianco’s leadership, the suave Christopher Hainsworth (Kaelan) dons a smoking jacket and becomes evil incarnate. In a play with a lot of sinister characters, Hainsworth is most memorable for his sophisticated justification of his genocide inclinations.   


As intense as the fighting is or as dark as the brutal murdering is, Allen and Matthews slyly sneak in plenty of comedy.  The animated Ben Hertel rattles on as a librarian requesting intellectual rights.  Christopher Walsh (no relation) hysterically responds with his signature perfect comedic timing.  Walsh repeatedly with a gesture or one word cracks the audience up.  The gun toting John Henry Roberts (Hollow Thom) plays an impressive range with uproarious deadpan humor and a deep vulnerable sadness.


There are plenty of unforgettable moments in this tantalizing epic.  An outstanding one is when the radiant Kay Kron (July) rides the iron stag in the third part.  The visual is brilliant and amusing.  Her foxes are racing at her side and her cape is flowing.  The effort is greeted with spontaneous applause.  Kron’s soulful performance and her foxes are just a few of the things I loved about this show.   


THE HAMMER TRINITY works beautifully together. The stories are engaging, individually and collectively.  Then, there is this underlying philosophical life nugget that we are all in charge of our own story.  It doesn’t matter who we are told we are or the life someone tries to force on us, we need to live our own story.  I love that overarching message.  And I loved this play, all nine hours of it.  Story Save Us All!
"

 


 

A Legend is (Re)Born: ‘The Hammer Trinity’ by House Theatre of Chicago - Kevin Greene, ChicagoStageStandard.com - "From Hercules to Harry Potter, the fascination with unlikely heroes appears to have no expiration date. And why should it? It speaks directly to the majority of us: a seemingly average person is plucked from obscurity and informed of their hitherto unknown greatness and importance in the “grand scheme of things.” It is easy to identify with the hero’s reluctance, humility, shame and disbelief. The notion that we might be chosen, through no fault or exertion of our own, from amongst the wretched toiling masses is as embarrassing as it is intoxicating. Though almost universally innocent by one definition or another, these heroes are never without fault. One could chock it up to the strain of high pressure – weight of the world and what not – but their flaws are always there from the start. If one can see past the tropes and detach from any vicarious instinct for self-identifying, there remains the question of what purpose these narratives serve. Who benefits from these tales? Can one own a myth? Is pleasure a form of support for the messages the story holds? Is it possible or perhaps even advisable to remain impartial? Though many heroic stories offer these questions behind the veil of entertainment few have the nerve to ask them directly. In remounting and completing its epic fantasy, The House Theatre of Chicago presents an open challenge: if this is truly how we see ourselves, are we prepared for the very real consequences that come along with being a hero?


While there are many many dichotomies engaged in this epic struggle, the central debate at the heart of The Hammer Trinity is whether freedom or safety is of greater value. The ongoing villainizing and fear mongering on either side of this issue should not be unfamiliar to anyone who’s watched television during the run-up to an election. In this fantasy landscape, one that favors the analog principles of Steampunk over the digital fascinations of sci-fi, dragons and their “tales” serve as the metaphorical anchors of this modern myth. Just as those whose cynicism has been hardened by inaction on either end of the political spectrum, one gets the impression that the Hobbesian belief in the greater good possessed by Hap the Golden (William Dick) and the liberty espoused by Irek Obsidian (voiced by Tracy Letts) are merely convenient talking points meant to disguise their shared desire for full control over the ongoing narrative of the human race. In The Hammer Trinity, the taletellers possess an incredible power and it is not difficult to perceive the analogy behind their devious intentions: in the great American shouting match, in whom should we place our trust?

It is curious that co-writers Chris Matthews and Artistic Director Nathan Allen (who also directs) would choose to turn their attention to storytellers as they unfold their own highly dramatic, if occasionally purposefully predictable, epic. Is The Hammer Trinity then meant as an interrogation of itself? Though they seem to draw a line in the sand between politicians and playwrights, are the two not related in sometimes-uncomfortable ways especially if one declines the veracity of universal truth? This is to say nothing of the spectacular nature of The Hammer Trinity, which holds the power to overwhelm any message of ethical integrity. The production’s moral that each of us have an ongoing part to play – as opposed to the standard “happily ever after” which tends to benefit a select few rather than the whole – does seem to endorse a belief in the greater good. Furthermore, the sincere allegiance to Story (itself an undisguised reference to a higher power) also seems to reflect a disbelief in individual agency. Characters act of their own accord but the sense of fatalism, an integral component of narratives such as these, undermines the synthesis of the play’s ostensibly hostile polarities. If there is an answer to the aforementioned query about the legitimacy of the play’s various viewpoints it gets a little lost, especially in the production’s climactic conclusion.

Still, the true value is in the asking. The answering is always incomplete in one way or another and given the incredible circumstance of this production a certain philosophical haziness is acceptable. The excellence of The Hammer Trinity cannot be undersold; in fact it is, at times, entirely overwhelming. The sheer creativity on display is staggering. It is not surprising that the majority of the House Theatre company members in employ of this production are on the technical side. The Hammer Trinity will give any production you see this year a run for its money in nearly every conceivable category. In keeping with the tone set by the production of a nine hour trilogy, scenes, costumes, lighting, sound, music, fight choreography, and puppet design are all tastefully extravagant. Since there is not enough space (and I have used plenty already) to give everyone his or her due, I will say that there is not a single aspect of The Hammer Trinity that does not get the royal treatment. One can easily picture the crackling energy in conversations between Allen and his Properties Master, Eleanor Kahn, when conceiving how to orchestrate dogfighting scenes between vintage aircraft and dragons. Or in talks with Matt Hawkins on how to best craft a slow motion fight sequence complete with long swords, arrows and six shooters. Or the entertaining-to-imagine internal monolog of puppet designer Jesse Mooney-Bullock when deciding what a dragon voiced by Tracy Letts should look like.

The inspired diligence of the production team would not be enough to fully captivate an audience without the boundless energy of this cast. Before the action got under way, Allen gave a rousing pre-show speech in which he celebrated the live aspects of theatre before announcing that the formidable role of Wilke Forsbrand, the play’s lovelorn Viking, would be filled by the understudy Aaron Latterell. It seems JJ Phillips, the original Wilke, dislocated his shoulder the previous night during a particularly vigorous fight scene (the Viking does love a good fight). I use this anecdote to illustrate a broader point about the cast and the production as a whole. As an understudy you are generally responsible for one or two roles in a standard, say, two-hour production. Latterell was responsible for four sizeable roles in a show that spanned the better part of an entire day. The stakes of The Hammer Trinity could not possibly be any higher. The synergy on display in a work of such colossal magnitude is simply unfathomable. As this group’s leader, Allen’s brilliance lies not in his independence but in his acceptance of his own unique role in this artistic universe. Such trust is rare though such artistry is even more so.

I suppose there are other things you can do for nine hours. You could probably participate in a literal marathon. It’s enough time to partially clear out an over-stuffed DVR. House of Cards is back and contains a number of philosophical parallels to The Hammer Trinity. In fact, seeing this trilogy in its entirety is the theatrical equivalent of binge watching. The momentum that gets going is the same but theatre, unlike television, is a truly communal act and the energy in the room was palpable even during the hour-long, picnic-style dinner break. Yet there is also a profound sense of loss at the conclusion of such a mighty yarn as if, despite the formidable running time, some of us wished this tale might keep going.

I had trouble sleeping the night I saw The Hammer Trinity. My mind was and still is wrapped in the detailed folds of this story. I am still piecing it together and have every intention of returning to share the experience with others. Suffice it to say, there are not enough stars in the sky or accolades in all the great halls of history to bestow upon The Hammer Trinity and all involved in its production. It is nothing short of a masterpiece"


 

 

 

 


From the House Theatre - For the second time in the company’s history, Artistic Director Nathan Allen employs the epic format and creates a multi-year play cycle. Now presented as a full series in both repertory and marathon performances, THE HAMMER TRINITY tells the story of young Casper Kent recovering the lost Hammer and taking the Crown, defending it against pirates and the Crownless faction, and ultimately relinquishing the Hammer’s great power for the greater good.

Part One: The Iron Stag King
Our unsuspecting hero, Casper Kent, is the son of a poor farmer. When an old storyteller, Hap the Golden, reveals that Casper is the rightful heir to the Crown, his life is threatened from all sides. Young Casper must escape the Crownless, choose compatriots and question what is good and right for the land. Part one of The Hammer Trinity follows him on his quest to lift the magical Hammer that will unite or destroy them all.

Part Two: The Crownless King

After a hard-fought battle, young Casper Kent takes his place as the ruler of the Folk. Yet King Casper soon finds himself buffeted by forces on all sides. Seizing for control, the exiled black dragon, Irek Obsidian (voiced by Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner Tracy Letts,) cunningly lures Casper away from the throne. Our band of heroes ventures to the sea where the hooded pirate Davy Boone commands a fleet of Crownless rebels. All the while, Hap the Golden wrests to maintain his hold over the royal tale. Storytellers Hap the Golden and Irek Obsidian each seek to impose their versions of the story. But a third Storyteller will emerge to speak a new story….

Part Three: The Excelsior King
New Plymouth is thrust into Civil War as the Folk choose sides in the conflict between Hap the Golden and Irek Obsidian. With Queen Rienne potentially murdered, and King Casper no where to be found, our remaining Heroes have narrowly escaped the conflict in the Capital but find themselves scattered and at cross-purposes. It is up to the novice storyteller, July of the Seven Foxes, to speak a tale that can unite them again and save the Land from self destruction. But a threat worse than dragons is encroaching from The Glaze, a darkness more powerful than even Hap and Irek had anticipated.  Will Kaelan Wayne and his war machine take advantage of the moment and strike an end to the storytelling forever?

The three plays of The Hammer Trinity play in single and double features on weeknights, with full marathon performance days every Saturday and Sunday, complete with picnic-style dinner breaks shared by the audience and cast. 

Author
Nathan Allen and Chris Mathews

Director
Nathan Allen

Performers
Kevin Stangler; William Dick; Isabel Liss; JJ Phillips; Kara Davidson; John Henry Roberts; Abraham Pride; Benjamin Hertel; Kay Kron; Kyrstal Worrell; Abu Ansari; Joey Steakley; Joe Bianco; Christopher Hainsworth; Deanna Myers; Patrick Falcon; Ada Grey; Tracy Letts; Matt Edmonds; Aaron Latterell;Gaby Labotka; Monnie Aleahmad

Production
Collette Pollard Scenic Designer; Melissa Torchia Costume Designer; Lee Keenan Lighting Designer; Joshua Horvath Sound Designer; Kevin O'Donnell Composer; Tommy Rapley Movement Director; Matt Hawkins Fight Director; Brian DesGranges Stage Manager; Derek Matson Dramaturg; Jesse Mooney-Bullock Puppet Designer; Jesse Roth Assistant Director; Sally Weiss Assistant Scenic Designer; Raquel Adorno Assistant Costume Designer; Lee Fiskness Associate Lighting Designer; Emily Breyer Assistant Puppet Designer; Daniel Carlyon Associate Sound Designer; Rachael Koplin Assistant Stage Manager; Kelly Claussen Assistant Stage Manager; Elyse Estes Assistant Stage Manager; Sydney Rosenfeld Wardrobe Supervisor; Kate Grudishak Wardrobe Supervisor; Chris Walls Sound Board Operator; Jon Woelfer Scenic Supervisor; Kelly Dufel Technical Director; Ivy Reid Master Electrician; Eleanor Kahn Properties Master; CoCo Ree Lemery Scenic Charge; Jerica Hucke Costume Manager; Ford Altenbern Assistant Production Manager; Will Dean Assistant Master Electrician; Emily Arnold Assistant Costume Manager; Amy Hilber Assistant Costume Manager; Colin Morgan Assistant Properties Master; Amanda Mullen Assistant Properties Master

Tags: Theater, American, 2015