Writer in Residence Sarah Ellis

Yesterday's stunning performance of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" at the Lillian H. Smith Branch played to a capacity crowd. The production incorporated both classical and avant garde elements, adhering to the Aristotelian unities of time and place while experimenting with a post modern middle billy goat: "I'm the middle billy goat and my name is (ironic, self-referential, crowd-pleasing pause) The Middle Billy Goat!" The script (Heras and Schwartz) was crisp; the set (Heras and Schwartz) was Brechtian in its simplicity and the performances (Heras and Schwartz) reflected method actors who have fully explored their inner trolls. Audience reaction was best summed up by a young theatre aficionado in the back row who, upon the final vanquishing of the troll, leaped to his feet with a full body air- punch and a heartfelt affirmation: "Yes!!"