A Willow Grows Aslant

Created by Kate Jopson, Natalie Khuen, Kristin Idaszak

Choreographed by Lindsey Sheild

La Jolla Playhouse's Without Walls Festival 2013

La Jolla Playhouse Without Walls Fest. 2013 http://www.lajollaplayhouse.org/wowfestival/productions/willow Willow Grows Aslant: An Ophelia Story takes the audience on a journey into the fractured psyche of a young woman torn between her father's political ambitions, her boyfriend's revenge fantasies and her own private dream of becoming a dancer.

A Willow Grows Aslant was created for La Jolla Playhouse's Without Walls Festival. The project was sparked from a concept set design by Natalie Khuen of a white labyrinth filled with grass and flowers and mirrors. For me, the set evoked the world of Ophelia. From there, we brought in Kristin Idaszak, a playwright, and the three of us pulled characters directly from Hamlet and placed them in a modern geo-political setting. Told from Ophelia's perspective, Willow takes the audience inside Ophelia's mind as it struggles to make sense of world that is fracturing around her. The piece was immersive and audience members were brought down to the basement in three different groups. One group entered at the beginning, others came in at the middle, and some began the journey at the end of Ophelia's life. After she dies, the play restarts and Ophelia tries again to change her fate.

King Claudius (Jorge Rodriguez) is hounded by the paparazzi.

Photo by Jim Carmody

Ophelia (Jenny Grober) prepares Hamlet (Tim Barnett) for the Press Conference.

Photo by Jim Carmody

King Claudius (Jorge Rodriguez) assures the nation that King Hamlet's death is being investigated and announces his marriage to Gertrude (Eva Barnes).

Photo by Jim Carmody

Polonius (Mike Sears) gives Laertes (Andres Romacho) advice before he leaves for college. Ophelia hides from her father

Photo by Jim Carmody

Gertrude (Eva Barnes) gives beauty advice to the audience in the bathroom.

Photo by Jim Carmody

Polonius' (Mike Sears) body is quickly dispatched with after he is shot by Hamlet.

Photo by Jim Carmody

Ophelia (Jenny Grober) imagines that the doctors who are institutionalizing her are Polonius (Mike Sears), Gertrude (Eva Barnes) and Claudius(Jorge Rodriguez).

Photo by Jim Carmody

Once Ophelia has accepted her madness, the doctor's dance with flowers down the hall. (Miranda Dainard, Elisa Leveratto, Jeffrey Chan, Ruchi Thukral)

Photo by Jim Carmody

Ophelia (Jenny Grober) follows the flitting dream of the ballerina (Jenny Moon) she never got to be.

Photo by Jim Carmody

Hamlet (Tim Barnett) walks over Ophelia's (Jenny Grober) dead body.

Photo by Jim Carmody

Natalie Khuen's video about the making of A Willow Grows Aslant performed at La Jolla Playhouse/ UCSD's Without Walls Festivals in October 2013.

Designed by Natalie Khuen

Performed by Eva Barnes, Mike Sears, Jorge Rodriguez, Jenny Grober, Tim Barnett, Andres Romacho, Rio Villa, Joey Odom, Miranda Dainard, Jeffrey Chan, Elisa Leveratto, Ruchi Thukral, Michael Robinson, Jenny Moon.