iphigenia

Photo: arcolatheatre.com

This adaptation of Euripides' Iphigenia is exactly what I believe should be done by modern theatre-makers with the classic texts that have survived millennia and continue to be recreated for us. Serdar Bilis' direction blends timeframes together, enchants us with beautiful music and singing and brings us closer to an ancient text than I have ever felt a director has. Mona Camille's set design is ethereal and timeless, allowing the piece to move between centuries effortlessly. All the elements of this production created a well-rounded, thorough and clear emotional effect, from which there is no hiding in the Arcola's intimate studio.

What I found so excellent about this piece was how Bilis transposes the original purpose of theatre in ancient Greece to the way we watch theatre in the modern world, making the personal and the political meet. Whereas in ancient Athens the audience were already aware of their duty to their fellow citizens, it is a slightly harder task to get people today to care about an issue that doesn't directly affect them. This production brought the issues of war, family and power so close to us, both physically within the space through the stage design and through personal testimony in dialogue. Throughout the show we watched cut together interviews with various people talking about their relationship with their father, which gradually became stories about their families and how they were and are affected by war in their home countries as we moved closer to the end of the show. Smaller boards were held up by the actors closer to the audience with the projection shown on them, bringing you physically and metaphorically closer to the issue. I felt that I was being confronted with my personal duty to be anti-war.

Simon Kunz' Agamemnon was a powerful and commanding thread through the piece, an impressive contrast to the kind, recognisable paternal figure that opens the piece and speaks to his son through an amusing, staged phone call. Kunz' performance was one of the most emotionally thorough portrayals of this character I have ever seen. Mithra Malek's Iphigenia was visceral and dignified. You rush to her defence as she realises the truth behind her journey to Aulis and she dips in and out of her character's most desperate moment to tell her personal anecdote through her tears. Indra Ove's Clytemnestra is so desperately human in her power and love for her daughter. You see your own mother in her, as I believe should be done with Clytemnestra in this version of the story.

While I felt that the mix between poetic writing and dialogue could have been more seemless, this was an incredibly powerful piece with a profound effect upon me. It would be wonderful to see this production shown in other areas of this country, or even on tour. Other theatre-makers who want to revive the classics should take note of this production!