SUR
Adapted from a short story by Ursula K. Le Guin; Co-Direction – Megan Paradis
Hanley and Onni Johnson
Presented by La Mama Experimental Theatre Club; A Trojan Women Project Production
Ellen Stewart Theatre | 66 East 4th Street, New York, NY 10003
March 29 – April 6, 2025
Whimsy and fury hailing from Mother Nature herself sweep you off your feet in this dashing tale, SUR, of how, in 1909, nine brave women of great magnetism and fortitude search for the South Pole. The short story by Ursula K. Le Guin is adapted to the stage by the passion and imagination of The Trojan Women Project. Written by a woman, about women, reimagined for the stage by women and non-binary artists, the play shows us the infinite capacities that illuminate the feminine mind. The play dares us to take our preconceived notions of great adventure and peril—always at the foot of men—to new heights by that of women. How often have we viewed the lens of life through men, therefore inadvertently growing accustomed to viewing the world as they do?
SUR allows us to see the potential in the power of the female spirit and embrace the limitless potential of how women can reach new heights on their own sense of spirit and accord. The play is layered with the many facets women must adhere to in life: responsibilities of motherhood, family caretaker, wife, and dreamer. In the early 1900s, when women were still yet without the right to vote and growing accustomed to no longer becoming property in marriage, we see a group of courageous, trailblazing women willing to take on the stakes of exploring the unknown in frigid and severe weather conditions. Whimsical blue lights and cascading silhouettes grace the stage to recreate the glorious South Pole in its full fury. An ensemble stellar cast of women marvelously work together throughout the entire play in the coordination of an advanced pulley system to recreate basecamp, icebergs, and mountain climbs. We see the women announce to each other the different numbers of pulleys being hoisted up or down and watch the spectacular mechanics unfold. The set design is flawless as it draws the audience close in on the action. We, too, are explorers on basecamp, getting geared up to trek the mountainous and frigid terrain. Pools of crisp white—from costumes to set design—make the world entirely conceivable as light projections of handwritten maps create a rich depth.
In a world of theatrics, television, and sensationalist news harboring disdain—highlighting arguments, power struggles, resentments, and bitter battles—this play is a breath of much-needed fresh air as we, for 90 minutes, have a taste of what life in harmony could really be. Instead of anticipating a cacophony of bickering, rivaling women, we experience an abundance of clarity, calm, and thoughtfulness as the common goal of the nine trailblazers is sheer passion for exploration and helping one another achieve new heights. Instead of being distracted by character conflicts and emotions, we focus on what is most important: Mother Nature versus a person's willingness to conquer the elements, barriers, and terrain. No one person is more important than another; all characters add to the cohesiveness and complexity of the story, making us cheer for everyone. A band of sisters, if you will, fighting with their will to defeat the odds of boundaries, society, and nature to discover the very power that resides within.
Come explore the Antarctic in La Mama Experimental Theatre Club’s SUR to reach new heights with the heart, by way of the mind, so that the soul is touched in knowing anything is possible.
Click HERE for tickets.
Review by Bianca Lopez.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on April 2nd, 2025. All rights reserved.