I had no idea what to expect seeing this show. See, this story is one that has been orally handed down through generations in the Andes Mountains in the language of the Incas -- Quechua. It's receiving its world debut in English here in St. Louis, and chronicles the story of, that's right, you guessed it, the death of Atahualpa, the last of the lords of the Inca. Spanish conquistadors captured him, took him for ransom, and killed him in 1533, spurring the decline of the Incan Empire.
A wonderfully fitting tone is set as you walk into the theatre, as members of the Latin band, Son de America, play Andean music and cast members engage with each other on the Kranzberg's sparse black set. What unfolds in the next hour is a unique theatrical presentation of this age old folkloric tale.
