Intent on the conquest of Peru, the Spanish general Pizarro entices recruits with the promise of riches, while the Church tells the soldiers they must save the souls of the heathen Inca Indians and give them "the priceless mercy of heaven." Thousands of unarmed Incas are slaughtered in the name of Christianity and their sun-god, Atahuallpa, is made a prisoner. This is all true, and it's plenty dramatic. Then Shaffer invents a clash of intellect and personalities between Pizarro and the sun-god. The second half of the play is the battle of wits between the two of them, and this is not nearly as compelling as the first half.
Shaffer's spectacular 1964 epic excites with dazzling visual effects that presage Julie Taymor and the Cirque du Soleil creations. Exotic musical instruments evoke the Peru that I remember fondly, while also reminding me of the stage production of The Lion King. The depictions of the common soldiers, of the conflicted Pizarro and of the religious leaders are compelling. I'm torn between gratitude that a landmark play is available to us uncut, and a desire to have second-act dialogue drastically edited. But what an opportunity it is to see this huge production at popular prices! (Most seats are 10 pounds.) Alun Armstrong as Pizarro and Paterson Joseph as Atahuallpa are memorable.
Alun Armstrong & Paterson Joseph
