AGAMEMNON:ELECTRA
August 31, 2009
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Agamemnon: Electra at Southwark Playhouse 25.08.09
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The technical difficulties that occurred as the production opened, only added further to the dramatic intensity of the performance, with the lights completely cutting out leaving only a thin strand of light on the stage from a neighbouring lamp. The performers instead embraced the predicament, annunciating their text with even more vigour and commanding the stage with heightened gestures through the darkness, which added an even greater power and sense of urgency to the production. The audience were ultimately invited into the performer’s experience not only in watching the performers’ struggles without light but in hearing the growling of passing trains overhead; this complimented further to the idea of the gods being constantly present in the performers’ mythical world, as was assisted by our already existing incessant rumbling track.
Candles were displayed on the audience’s tables during Electra, which added to the ritualistic mood of the piece whilst frighteningly revealing the malicious stares of Clytemnestra at her disobedient daughter during the play. The arrival of the Tutor brought an element of great humour to the production whilst showing the sheer extent of a performer’s energy on stage; the Tutor bounded about the space in a mask, over theatrically depicting the lie of Orestes death at top speed leaving the performer utterly exhausted but still shockingly able to sing the preceding lament!
The performance ended powerfully with all performers recounting the final chorus speech with every last breath they could offer, showering the stage with sweat and sending shivers through audience members with their final ominous whisper:
“ … and lead him straight to vengeance.. ”
With the performers then returning to their repetitive searching of the space, audience members should be reminded that these myths will need to keep being recounted not only in reverence to the myths themselves but in the emerging of our company as a whole.
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