Last night Stuart and I went to see Bacchae at London’s glitzy Olivier Theatre and my goodness, what a wild ride.
Lead performances by Ukweli Roach as Dionysus, James McArdle as Pentheus, Clare Perkins, Sharon Small all bring the heat.
Playwright is Nima Taleghani (him off of Heartstopper) updating Euripides (yes the original Greek tragic genius) with rap rhyme spoken word and furious chorus energy.
Plot revolves around Dionysus returning to Thebes to demand recognition, vs King Pentheus who rejects his divinity, with the Bacchae (female chorus) not just followers but forces of chaos, power, disruption.
Modern update means chorus are refugees each with dark backstories, a spoken word score by DJ Walde, choreography by Kate Prince, and plenty of in-your-face moments of rage and beauty.
In previews so still tweaking ‒ sound hits, lighting moments are good, though some edges are rough.
If you like your theatre loud, political, & visceral these are your gods. We were entertained but not really wowed.
@nationaltheatre @UkweliRoach @JamesMcArdle @ClarePerkins @SharonSmall
⭐️⭐️⭐️
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