The Penelopiad - Spoiler Free Review
7.5 out of 10 stars - If you're a fan of Greek mythology this is for you! If not, this is also for you...
Tickets available at: https://www.trybooking.com/CXJIL
This is a Greek tragedy. There is no happy ending. And the team at the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild have ensured this!
In recent years, we have surrendered to the phenomenon that is SIX the Musical, retelling the story of Henry VIII’s six wives. Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad is of similar nature, retelling the story of the poem, “The Odyssey” from Odysseus’ wife, Penelope’s point of view, along with twelve of her maids, asking ‘What led to the hanging of the maids, and what was Penelope really up to?’
Director Kristin Telfer remarks that The Penelopiad has been one of her dream projects for a long time, and the final product witnessed today is testament to the care and respect she has for the author’s work. There are a handful of artistic choices throughout this production where the maids are in unison, but act in an equally confronting manner which purposefully pulls the audience further into the tale.
The
Penelopiad is a play with songs but no music, so Kristin Stefanoff was brought
in with her skillset to create original pieces to give rhythm to the songs within
the play, and she has created some remarkable pieces that truly fit the overall
tone and vision of the show. Additionally, fight choreographer Jethro Pidd
deserves a mention for their contribution in the great battle of Ithaca in Act
Two. It is a lengthy fight sequence involving majority of the cast on many
levels and has been presented in a manner that the audience is unable to
witness every death.
Jane Ford has
a colossal task in portraying the protagonist of the story, often with lengthy
monologues, acting as Narrator in her own story. Her performance as Penelope is
heavily reliant on knowing and understanding the story and text inside out, and
Ford has done an extraordinary job in nailing this, as well as her character
choices throughout her journey.
Odysseus begins
as a morally grey character, cheating his way to wed Penelope, despite pining
over Helen of Troy. He recovers his story arc (slightly) as he goes to
fight in the Battle of Troy (and save Helen), but then upon his return,
his slyness and trickery results in the aforementioned death of the twelve
maids. Theo Papazis tackles this delightful character with cheek, charm and
unwavering confidence. Similar to Ford’s character, Papazis also spends some
time as Narrator to include the audience in the intentions of his character.
While we only
meet him in the final scenes of Act One, Telemachus, son of Odysseus and
Penelope is revealed as Frederick Pincombe. Pincombe’s undetermined age and young
appearance allows him to encompass the angst of a teen perfectly. Being raised
by Odysseus’ former nurse, Telemachus is bitter toward his mother and Pincombe
delivers this nicely. It’s unfortunate that it is difficult to hear much of his
dialogue over both the music, or other characters. Instead, pay attention to
his character choices.
Helen of
Troy is a character many know of. The lady in distress that is kidnapped,
prompting Odysseus to go and rescue her. Jessica Merrill has a lot of fun
playing this role with a toss-toss of the hair and dewy-eyed looks at the
audience, flirting with the odd spectator.
Contrastingly, Olivia Jane Parker embodies and demands respect across the stage in the role of Eurycleia, the former nurse of Odysseus, and current nurse of Telemachus. The discerning looks and double claps at the other maids to keep them on course and maintaining order around the residence are incredible. Parker has established the needs and motivations of her character really well and it is on display for the audience to appreciate.
The Greek chorus feature 12 ladies with varying theatre skill and experience, but they all encompass their roles as the maids, the suitors, members of the royal families, and other small roles with confidence and gusto. Macey Lawson needs mention for her clear and concise diction, rivalling many others her age across the Adelaide theatre scene; sisters Mia and Sophie Livingston-Pearce have an equally piercing presence on stage in their respective characters and it’s evident they understand the story and know how best to keep the flow of the show consistent.
This chorus
of 12 cover various vocal ranges, giving each song a strong body, complementing
Stefanoff’s work. A stand-out singer is Lucy Hay, particularly when she begins
one song in Act Two… check it out!
Other Greek
chorus members, Miriam Cwiek, Emily Dalziel, Bonnie McAllister, Heather
Crawford, Carmen Sinclair and Annie Matsouliadis equally deserve mention for
the hard work they have put into this production, the ability to flip instantaneously
between multiple roles that come with their own convincing characteristics and undertaking
the various succinct scene changes. Together, the Greek chorus of 12 worked as
smooth as a well-oiled machine.
Costumes Coordinator
Shannon Norfolk has done a wonderful job ensuring everyone is appropriately
dressed to the time-period. Her work on Telemachus’ outfit helps sell the teenage
hood of the character. Additionally, I haven’t seen so many feet during a
single production. Lighting Design by Stephen Dean was effective and helped
drive the story. Operation by Zack Brittan deserves credit, having perfected
the timing on the lighting cues. Well done!
There is a
content warning inside the program mentioning triggering themes including
sexual assault and death by hanging. If either theme affects you, take care
while viewing and reach out to somebody you trust if you need additional
support. While these themes don’t trigger this reviewer, the hanging scene was
very confronting in the final moments of the last scene, but it was very
effective with many audience members letting out an audible gasp.
The
University of Adelaide Theatre Guild should be proud of the work this cast and production
team have created. If this is the level of work pumped out by the UATG, I look
forward to The Watsons in August!
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