The Play's the Thing
| Xena: Warrior Princess episode | |
|---|---|
| “The Play's the Thing” | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 17 |
| Guest star(s) | Ted Raimi (Joxer); Jennifer Ward-Lealand (Zehra); Alison Wall (Minya); Mark Hadlow (Milo); Peter Muller (Dustinus Hoofmanus); William Davis (Kaelus); John McKee (Rivus); Stephen Hall (Therax); Mark Nua (Cleon); Eduardo de Campos (Sophocles)
George Port (First Critic); Polly Baigent (Paulina [who played Xena]); Mary Henderson (Woman #2); Tammy Barker (speaking Gabrielle auditioner); Denis Hoskins (Second Critic) |
| Writer(s) | Ashley Gable & Thomas A. Swyden |
| Director | Christopher Graves |
| Production no. | #V0620 |
| Original airdate | 1999 March 15 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "The Way" | "The Convert" |
A con artist persuades Gabrielle to put on one of her scrolls as a play as a scam. Will it be a success or a failure? Will it convey Gabrielle's message of peace, or simply sell out for lots of dinars? Will the con artists get their come-uppance?
Lesbian humor
During the revised sex-and-blood version ("Faster, chakram! Kill! Kill!"), the scene between Gabrielle & Xena in the hot tub is a big sexploitation subtext joke:
- "Xena": "Wow! I'm really wet!"
- "Gabrielle": "Oh! Oh, me too!"
At the end of the episode, Minya runs up hand in hand with Paulina:
- M: Gabrielle, I wanted to thank you! I never would have met Paulina if it wasn't for you! In fact, the two of you made me realize something deep down about myself that, I guess I always knew, but just didn't dare admit. Yes— I'm a ... thespian.
Minya and Paulina look at each other lovingly & run off arm in arm.
- X: Oh. Hah. Congratulations. You managed to touch someone.
- G: That's not exactly what I had in mind. I wanted to change violent people into people of peace, not actors. ... That is what she said, right? Deep down she's a thespian?
- X: Yeah, um— that's what she—said. Yeah. Why? What'd you think?
- G: Thespian—
The two keep talking and dialog trails off as they walk off through the village.
Intertextuality
Critics watching the play talking to each other:
- Critic 1: The play's not bad. I just don't buy that Xena.
- Critic 2: There's the opening of "Buffus, the Bacchae Slayer" across the street.
Returning the favor from the Buffy season 2 episode "Halloween" (October 1997) in which Willow mentions Xena. The writers, Ashley Gable and Thomas A. Swyden, were also writers on Buffy.
Disclaimer
"Although no great literary works of art were harmed or plagiarized, a few thespians stole some scenes during the production of this motion picture."