courtesy of Chris Bennion Seth Numrich (left) as Neoptolemus and Boris McGiver as Philoctetes in Seamus Heaney’s “The Cure at Troy,” directed by Tina Landau, now playing at Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Bagley Wright stage.

It's easy, when thinking of Greek mythology, to conjure up unwittingly images of all-too-human squabbles between endlessly immature, overpowered gods. These beings often overshadow their human devotees, or at the very least control their destinies until these humans become nothing more than tragic pawns in some great Olympian game.

In the Seattle Repertory Theatre's production of Irish poet Seamus Heaney's "The Cure at Troy," directed by Tina Landau, Philoctetes, a betrayed Greek hero and archer, gets the chance to find freedom from his own hatred and grudges with very little obvious interaction from those same gods.

With only six performers, a single set, minimal props and special effects, and Heaney's lean, one-act window into a human soul being torn apart by loyalty to both self and country, it's a theater lover's play that may alienate those seeking grandiosity and spectacle.

The minimalism of the production is evident from the very beginning, in which three men dressed in black use synchronized choreography and song to give the audience background about the play's three lead characters: Philoctetes, Achilles's son Neoptolemus, and "The Odyssey" hero Odysseus. The three in black are the play's obligatory Greek chorus, who also fill in as background characters from time to time throughout the production.

As the story goes, Odysseus and Philoctetes, among others, were travelling toward Troy when Philoctetes was bitten on the foot by a snake. The wound became infected and odorous, and Odysseus chose to leave his companion behind on the Island of Lemnos while the rest travelled on to the war.

Ten years later, a prophecy about the war informs the Greeks that they will never win the war against the Trojans without the lame, hurting Philoctetes and his great bow, which he inherited from Hercules.

Odysseus sets out for Lemnos with Neoptolemus in tow to act as the intermediary that will convince Philoctetes to rejoin the fight, despite the wrongs done to him. Neoptolemus must choose between the deception typical of Odysseus (as made famous in "The Odyssey") or his own commitment to honesty. Philoctetes, meanwhile, must learn to trust again and decide whether or not to join the fight.

The entire play takes place on a towering set of imposing, volcanic-looking rocks. It's barren, unnerving, and obviously not the easiest set for the actors to maneuver, but it works wonderfully as Philoctetes' personal hell of 10 years.

Throughout the dialogue-heavy production, the chorus adds flavor to the background as well as imposing music and visuals. Similarly blending in to the background is Odysseus, who has minimal stage time, paving the way for the wonderful rants, ravings and conversations that flow from Heaney's pen into Philoctetes and the young Neoptolemus.

Guy Adkins, Ben Gonio, and Jon Michael Hall are great as the chorus members, and Hans Altwies is forgettable as Odysseus, but the real standouts are Seth Numrich as Neoptolemus and Boris McGiver as Philoctetes.

Numrich is entirely believable in his worry and inexperience, trying to convince Philoctetes to join his party to Troy. With his conviction and earnestness, it's easy for the audience to see how Philoctetes could be lured into trusting those who once abandoned him.

McGiver is given the spotlight as Philoctetes and never wastes it for a moment. At turns tragic, funny, and quirky, he imbues the character with verve and a personality that makes this larger-than-life mythological character both very human and very tragic in an epic sense.

From crawling around the rocky terrain like a madman with his lame leg and cursing Odysseus and his own poor fortune, to finding friendship and trust in the young son of Achilles, Philoctetes always arrests attention and should keep viewers fixated for the entire duration.

The only disappointing aspects of "The Cure at Troy" are its brief 90-minute running time and the subsequent feeling that this single scene is a tad stretched out. It feels like the first part of a two-act epic that should segue into Philoctetes going to Troy to help the Greeks find victory, but it doesn't.

Heaney, apparently, was only interested in telling the story of a man learning how to forgive and find redemption in his national identity. According to the Rep's "Off Book" publication, he wrote the play for Northern Ireland's Field Day Theatre Company in response to the history, politics, and violence in that nation, and it makes perfect allegorical sense in that context.

It stands on its own very well, working as a fully-realized snapshot of the lives of these characters and this turning point in the Trojan War. And with its brilliant performances and set design beautiful in its simplicity, that's all it really needs to be.

All performances are at the Bagley Wright Theatre, 155 Mercer St., at the Seattle Center, through May 3. Shows: Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m., with Friday and Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets range between $10 and $48. For ticketing and information, go to http://seattlerep.org or call 206-443-2222.