Press photo: Clare Perkins and the company of Bacchae – National Theatre (Marc Brenner)
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When I first saw the preproduction pictures as a tease for Nima Taleghani’s new play after Euripides tragedy Bacchae, I got curious immediately. The images radiated sensuality, they were bloody and there was humor in them.
In the rearview mirror, the show totally delivered what the pictures seemed to promise.
The background story from the National Theatres website tells us: “The women of the Bacchae will not be ignored. Fierce and unstoppable, they are a chorus of wild energy ready to shake Thebes to its core — and liberate its women”.
It starts at high speed and they keep it all trough til the end. For me it takes a lot of focus to catch up with the dialogue. They toss lines between them. Im aware of me missing out on punchlines but to my defence this is not the English we’ve learnt in schools in Sweden, so I can easily forgive myself for some blanks in my vocabulary.
Besides the fact that this is an incredibly talented cast, they also impress me with their dancing as well as some really good singers in this group.
The stage consists of three big plates of “stone” that can turn to make new angles and shifts in scenes. There are some props getting wired down from the roof but it’s not much. But somehow they really make it work. They are really good at using what they have.
It’s so liberating seeing a play about women that are sexually liberated. They are totally shameless, take what they want and do what’s on top of their mind (for better and for worse, the messenger would probably not agree with the idea of liberating).
There are several stories told at the same time, one of them keeps coming back to dare to being your true self, and again it feels very accurate. My 8 year old loves to have nail polish, but guys can’t have that, right? Be the one you wanna be. Be the you that makes you feel good!
If I’m gonna complain it’s the amount of blood that feels a bit over the top. But it’s not a dealbreaker.
Besides the main characters we get introduced to some amazing supporting characters. I think many of us can relate to the poor constant planning project leader with the script.
Being able to take a tragedy written so long ago and make it relevant today is something really special! But Nima, the director Indhu Rubasingham, the rest of the crew and cast really nails it.