When the obstacle becomes the way—motto of the Greek goddess Athena

“En garde! Prêts? Allez!” Athena is all about fencing and not about fencing at all. The stage is a piste—the official flat strip of a platform where fencers compete. The audience is seated on both sides of the action. We were seated front row center. The two teenage épée fencers spend most of the play in full gear. Action, action and more action is always happening. These seventeen-year-olds are training for nationals. Athena (a nom de guerre) and Mary Wallace are different sides of the same coin. Athena, the daughter of a famous journalist is angry, hostile and friendless. While Wallace, the daughter of teachers is sensitive, maybe too sensitive, but more approachable. Athena lives in the city. While Mary commutes to NYC from the burbs. They agree to train together and begin to create a friendship. These two actresses comprise 90% of the play, until its climax, when a third fencer is introduced, during the qualifiers for nationals. After this short 75-minute play in the Rep’s black box studio, we adjourned next-door to where else, but Cyrano’s, for a late-night dessert. Touche!