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Occupy Olympus: Based on 'Plutus, God of Wealth'

  • Theater, Comedy
  • 3 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
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Time Out says

3 out of 5 stars

Anger at income inequality is not unique to our generation. Magis Theatre Company’s transhistorical adaptation of Aristophanes’ black comedy Plutus, God of Wealth mines the economic woes of ancient Greece for laughs. And guess what? Those plebs were just as pissed off as today’s 99 percent. Impoverished but ostensibly virtuous Chremylus (Taylor Valentine) complains to the gods about his finances and ends up convincing Plutus (director and lyricist George Drance) to redistribute wealth to the worthy. A cornucopia of complications ensues as the ensemble croons politically charged songs (composed by Tony nominee Elizabeth Swados), reenacts shockingly callous real-life conversations of the 1 percent and leads the worked-up audience in an Occupy Wall Street–inspired drum circle. While the metaphor is right on the money, the show itself is uneven and works best when it deviates from the source material and sticks to vaudeville. It’s rich at times, but also wanting.—Raven Snook

Click here for full TONY coverage of the 2013 New York International Fringe Festival.

Details

Event website:
fringenyc.org
Address:
Contact:
866-468-7619
Price:
$18, advance $15
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