Genuinely, the fringe theatre in London is absolutely stunning. Both shows I saw with the group left me REELING. Lift was a short moment relative to the length of life, that will stick with me for years to come. Girl On an Altar was a visceral experience, shaking me to my core and showing me what good greek tragedy can do. Not to even mention how great it was to sit so close, fringe in London is absolutely astounding.
Starting with Lift, the story inside the mind of an artist working through life problems and moving forward in the few intimate seconds riding up the lift in the tube surrounded by the many odd strangers one might find in London. The 90-minute run time is crammed full of the imperfect but astoundingly unique reality of London. the glowing network of tubes filling the tightly packed black box represents both the convoluted tube map of London and the set dressing for each scene. The music is brimming with heart and soul, feeling deeply personal at times, and impressively bizarre at others, it comes off as endlessly interesting as the city proved to be. I fell in love with London, and this show managed to encapsulate that in the rawest and most imperfect way, making me fall in love with it as well.
Girl On an Alter. Raw and true, it turns a searing mirror to family dynamics, toxic masculinity, the effects of trauma, and the danger of power in a visceral take on the story of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. With modern dress, and a minimalistic set, the show finds its power in its focus on the movement, lighting, and dialogue. It takes the text and forces the audience to feel it deeply as best it can, the stark red of bloody sheets, sounds of sex, the screaming tears of a trauma unhealed. It does a powerful and wonderful job at this. Happy to report that there was direction for all the intense aspects of this play. For the safety of the actors, this is most definitely needed for this play. I’m slightly less happy to report that it did lack a warning for the audience or at least lacked clear ones (though that seems to be a trend in British theatre… perhaps a cultural disconnect between America and London there.) Knowing the story well, I suppose I expected some sex and gore, so harmed I am not, but a valid criticism remains. While the actors were safe, I fear for audience members of less fortitude than I.
(I would also like to mention The Play That Goes Wrong. No longer fringe, it started there and the attitude of the cast and crew remains as such. The Mischief Theatre company is a wonderful bunch worthy of all the credit they get and more)
Fringe theater is defined by the Collins English Dictionary as a theatrical performance that is unconventional or otherwise distinct from the mainstream. But in modern terms, fringe theater can be classified as any small theater company performance to anything that is uncategorizable. It is equivalent to New York’s Off-Off Broadway.
While here in London, I got the opportunity to see Girl on an Altar at the Kiln Theater. The play is by Marina Carr and is based off of the Greek myth of Clytemnestra. I have read other works by Marina Carr, such as By The Bog Of Cats, based off the Greek Tragedy of Medea, so I was very excited to see this production.
Now onto the specifics of the Kiln Theater’s production. Intense seems to little of a word to describe all the feelings felt in this show. There is power, and the struggle for power, as well as grappling the past with the present. I was wowed by the vulnerability presented by Eileen Walsh playing Clytemnestra. This character goes in circles of emotions and struggles internally and externally with herself and others. Entering the stage in only a towel presents the audience with the raw vulnerability this play demonstrates. There are many moments throughout that you feel as if you are watching through a window and seeing a quarrel (or something else) that you should not be seeing. David Walmsley, who played Agamemnon, did a great job at playing a terrible person. This character literally kills his daughter, and continues to justify it for over ten years, as well as being a domestic abuser and a raging tyrant. But Walmsley’s performance mixed with Walsh created a fiery dynamic presence on stage that made the whole scenes captivating to a point you couldn’t dare to look away.
With the Kiln theater being a smaller venue, and not being located in the center of London, they are able to get away with things most mainstream West End shows cannot. Such as nudity & incredibly intimate (if one could say, a bit to intimate) scenes. But in the same breath, they lack the production value and pizazz that is presented on the West End shows. There were many moments in this production that I thought were very beautifully directed and set up on stage with the set and lights. But there were others that were seemingly shoved under a rug and brisked past due to the fact that acting them out was literally unattainable.
This show in all was not my favorite that I have seen, but it wasn’t bad. Could I had done with a couple trigger warnings? Yes. Could I have done with a little less… if you know you know…. Yes. Could I see the potential this script and cast have? Yes.
As of writing this, I have witnessed three “fringe” plays: Lift, Girl on an Alter and Rainer. When I was traveling to see Rainer tonight, I was extremely worried that I would hate it. To be blunt, my opinions regarding Lift and Girl on an Alter are that they felt extremely self important and lacked any amount of charm that would lead me to fall in love with the productions. My problems with these plays were not because they had a lower budget or that they were in a smaller venue but that they were either void of plot—in the case of Lift—or far to long—in the case of Girl on an Alter. I would rate both of these plays in the three to four out of ten range. I was beginning to frame fringe theatre as dull and pretentious but my mind was completely changed tonight. Rainer was everything that I hoped fringe to be. It was shorter in length only lasting about an hour and a half, had a cohesive plot, and featured a single actress and two chairs. I was also intrigued by the fact that it was outside. The venue was small and the budget was obviously close to nothing but it had charm. The whole play takes place inside the mind of our protagonist—Rainer. This was the first great choice that the play made because it did not bite off more than it could chew. They had one actress and so they narrowed the scope of the play to be entirely through the lens of Rainer. The actress used the chair props and her physicality to portray each different character along with six or seven different accents. The plot was not vague like Lift and did not feel long at all like Girl on an Alter. The lead actress was phenomenal. She never missed a line and really embodied the characters. But most importantly it begged the audience to fall in love. I think this is because it was so relatable. The play is about a girl wrestling with the grief of her father’s death, her depression and letting people in to love her again. This play touched me in a way none of the other plays had. It felt so intimate and raw. Rainer was broken and we the audience watched as she slowly picks up the pieces of her life. It was beautiful. It was not a spectacle like Life of Pi. Nor did it shake me to my core like House of Shades. But it was charming and lovely. I would rate it very highly simply because it was everything fringe should be. I am glad that I gave fringe another shot because I might have missed one of my favorite plays.
As an American Abroad, the arts abound with an assortment of artistic aberrations from the average as I’ve come to know them and oof now I’m tired of this gimmick. Basically, the British way of theatre has its merit, that is to be sure, but there are times when stylistic choice (and the issues to be found in the Glass Menagerie are most certainly of the directorial decisions variety) does not mesh well with the material.
I will say flat out, as a memory play, there is to be much haze to the feeling of the play, as is the nature of the human mind. With that said, I fully do not understand some of the choices made on the stage. From the nearly completely blank center stage, to the bristlingly full outer edge of the stage…..which is all but completely ignored throughout the production, to the biggest offense of all….. the directing of the actors leading to a disconnect not congruent to a family in distress but a cast on the brink of aimlessness, there were far too many decisions made with this production that did not mesh well with the show itself.
This was a production of high quality and prestige, do not get me wrong, and having sat at the stage door after, I heard well the audiences’ opinion. The Reviews seem to agree with me on some points but flatly disagree with others. The lighting is adored, but the stage is seen as too large and impersonal. the disconnect is felt, but the set dressing goes unmentioned.
What can be said on all fronts is the stylistic choice to make this slice of Americana seem wistfully optimistic is a poor one. While it remains a dreadful look into the cultural pains present in many an American household, the memories are almost seen fondly, the characters harder to pity, the slime of the underbelly cleaned off. Almost as if the character played by Amy Adams is the one who’s eyes we see the world through, instead of the most bitter of her two children as it’s written and meant to be played.
A strange meshing of British and American culture, and it seems to disappoint both parties….. almost pitiable like the characters eh?
After our long journey to Kew Gardens, Isaac and I prepared ourselves for the trip to another fringe experience. I was quite hesitant going in because I had strong negative feelings towards Lift. I was consistently confused during Lift and could not follow any plot or dialogue, so I was worried about this production. Arcola was similar to the Southwark Playhouse with its limited seating, smaller stage, and no set pieces. Rainer was in their outside theatre, but the noise sometimes distracted me from the dialogue and my allergies kept acting up. But the play was a pleasant surprise.
Rainer is the name of the main character who we exclusively follow through their hour and fifteen minutes on stage. It is one actor who has the props of only two chairs. She can be somewhat unreliable, but it is her story of overcoming the grief of losing her father. She played so many characters, but her accents were impeccable. The lights and sounds were minimal, but they cued in the observers of the setting and mood.
She is an aspiring writer but works by delivering food all across London. We follow her mind through a few weeks as she continues to deny her experience with her father’s death. Her performance was moving, and she made the play move quickly. It did not only touch on emotions of grief but the ability to let others in and her focus on writing about the underappreciated of London. She spent some moments engaging with the audience and it created a connection with the story she was telling.
This performance boosted my opinion about fringe theatre. It was impactful, short, and impressive. It may not have potential to make it to West End, but the acting really shined. Even with limited resources, she created an active atmosphere that left the audience reflecting. If you make your way to London, don’t be afraid to have a fringe experience.
Of all the plays that we’ve seen so far, this one was definitely not for me. That’s not to say it was a bad play, I think it was excellent actually. It was really impactful as a modern retelling of Agamemnon with prominent ancient Greek theater tradition. The play was mostly told through what Courtney called “memory monologues.” These monologues are hard to deliver interestingly because the actor needs to have a clear need from the audience. Most of the time I did not understand this need which made it seem like the actors were only playing emotion or opinion most of the time. However, this was a very difficult script. And, although it is very new, it’s written in a very ancient tradition. The acting that did occur between characters was interesting though. It was just frustrating for them to turn to the audience and describe what was happening as it was happening instead of living in the moment with their partner. There was one moment with a narrative monologue towards the end that I found really interesting. Cassandra, the prophetess was monologuing about the imminent murder of Agamemnon when he himself interrupts her, “What are you whispering?” Very intimidating. It brought what I assumed to be a private moment with the audience into the story. The stakes shoot through the roof in a second because Agamemnon is genuinely terrifying. He’s killed many men and at least one woman, whose to say he wouldn’t murder this girl?
The Great Gatsby Immersive Experience
The Great Gatsby was an absolute blast and I recommend any young person with a love of literature, dancing, or improv go see it. I was most impressed by how demanding it was of the actors to improvise and remain in control. They direct the “partygoers” the whole night and have to accommodate those who will say absolutely nothing to them and those who are really willing to play into it. Some of the story beats involve secrets of affairs and such so it’d be pretty easy for something to let slip and ruin the thing for everyone. I also loved the swing dancing! There was a bit at the beginning when we got to East Coast swing and me, Grason, Margaret, and Leah strut our stuff. We got called show-offs by Tom Buchanan though. The action among the characters were brilliant as well. The cast were super talented dancers and singers and pianists too! I was truly blown away. Best theater experience I had by far.
Lift Lift was a beautiful show. It was hard to understand exactly what was going on. However, I loved how it looked, sounded, and felt. I was in the front row of this blackbox-type theater so the show felt really intimate. Intimate isn’t the right word. Being that close was intense. Overall the message of the show was kind of cute, the music was good, and the spirit of the show was strong.
Girl on an Altar
Of all the plays that we’ve seen so far, this one was definitely not for me. That’s not to say it was a bad play, I think it was excellent actually. It was really impactful as a modern retelling of Agamemnon with prominent ancient Greek theater tradition. The play was mostly told through what Courtney called “memory monologues.” These monologues are hard to deliver interestingly because the actor needs to have a clear need from the audience. Most of the time I did not understand this need which made it seem like the actors were only playing emotion or opinion most of the time. However, this was a very difficult script. And, although it is very new, it’s written in a very ancient tradition. The acting that did occur between characters was interesting though. It was just frustrating for them to turn to the audience and describe what was happening as it was happening instead of living in the moment with their partner. There was one moment with a narrative monologue towards the end that I found really interesting. Cassandra, the prophetess was monologuing about the imminent murder of Agamemnon when he himself interrupts her, “What are you whispering?” Very intimidating. It brought what I assumed to be a private moment with the audience into the story. The stakes shoot through the roof in a second because Agamemnon is genuinely terrifying. He’s killed many men and at least one woman, whose to say he wouldn’t murder this girl?
The Great Gatsby Immersive Experience
The Great Gatsby was an absolute blast and I recommend any young person with a love of literature, dancing, or improv go see it. I was most impressed by how demanding it was of the actors to improvise and remain in control. They direct the “partygoers” the whole night and have to accommodate those who will say absolutely nothing to them and those who are really willing to play into it. Some of the story beats involve secrets of affairs and such so it’d be pretty easy for something to let slip and ruin the thing for everyone. I also loved the swing dancing! There was a bit at the beginning when we got to East Coast swing and me, Grason, Margaret, and Leah strut our stuff. We got called show-offs by Tom Buchanan though. The action among the characters were brilliant as well. The cast were super talented dancers and singers and pianists too! I was truly blown away. Best theater experience I had by far.
Lift Lift was a beautiful show. It was hard to understand exactly what was going on. However, I loved how it looked, sounded, and felt. I was in the front row of this blackbox-type theater so the show felt really intimate. Intimate isn’t the right word. Being that close was intense. Overall the message of the show was kind of cute, the music was good, and the spirit of the show was strong.
The Great Gatsby experience was something that I will never forget. To find his location it was down an alley and it didn’t have a large sign to show where it was. In fact we walked almost by it, but we saw a gentleman dressed up in a 1900’s suit who asked us if we were here at Mr Gatsby’s Party? Upon entering we were told to wait in the stairwell. A few minutes later we had an actor address us, again in full costume, who informed us of the party rules. It was a fun way to introduce the guests and also inform the guests that phones didnt exist, so don’t have them out! The venu was a bar space and an open room with some tables spaced out with an elevated surface that held a grand piano and other instruments. There was no real seating, because the show was everywhere. It could be right next to you, it could be in the middle of the room, or in other rooms entirely!
At the very beginning before the show started, the actors were walking around and interacting with the audience. We danced at the beginning with them to some music, they then had us come up and they taught us how to dance and we danced for and with them during the beginning number. It was a simple charleston step but it was so fun! The story took place in lots of other side rooms that were all decorated and hand curated. It really made you feel like you were at a party and gossiping among the party guests.
Leah, Brendan, Margaret and I were hand selected by the actress playing Daisy. She often found us in the crowd of people and ask us to follow her into another room to continue the story. It was such a fast paced experience that was unlike any theatre experience I have had before. It was a full 360 experience because you never knew where the action was going to start.
Something I thought was interesting about this experience is finding the line between your real opinion, and also helping the actors continue the story. For example, Tom asked us to hand a note to George saying that poor people don’t have as developed brains, so he had to cancel their deal. In this moment he was asking us to deliver a note to the other actor. Now of course, thats not true at all, but in the moment it was one of those things were you nod to the actor and think “its for the story its for the story its for the story”. Overall it was a great theatre experience that I enjoyed immensely.
I wanted to take a moment to give a round of applause to some of the fantastic works of theatre I have had the honor to see here in London. Thankfully, The Glass Menagerie has been the only performance I have ended up disappointed in.
We went to the National Theatre and saw The Father and the Assassin. This was a story about the man who assassinated Gandhi. It was written from his perspective, and he talks to the audience and tries to convince us that he was justified in his actions and tells us that we will in fact be on his side by the end. I thought this narrative was excellently written and poignant in today’s political climate. By the end, I wasn’t in support of his cause and his actions, but I did come to understand his perspective. By creating a character that we can relate to and understand, we were able to look at the hatred and prejudice he ended up coming to and see it from a completely human point of view. The ending speech he crafted was about how the people who are different than us are sitting next to us, and we must eliminate them before they come for us. By turning it back on the audience it forced us to think about the narrative in terms of modern times, and it was very familiar and reminiscent of the hatred and discrimination taking place in the divided political climate of today. I bought a copy of the script so I can go back and more closely analyze this writing that intrigued and inspired me.
The set and the stage were what really drew me into this show. The stage was sectioned off into three different moving parts, one of them a raised ramp that allowed characters to climb and run up and down to communicate travel and movement. It was fantastically blocked so that ensemble moments were strikingly realistic and partner scenes were intimate and several scenes could be happening at once without creating a gap in understanding. I thought the way the stage was crafted was mind-blowingly cool, and I really enjoyed watching the way they played with movement. There were several impactful moments, such as the flags falling from the ceiling to represent the death of the characters, and the ensemble celebration of the separation of the nation. I felt really pulled into the moment, like I was there with these characters.
Another show we saw as a group was House of Shades. This show absolutely changed my life, for good. The writing was fantastic. Beth Steele was able to develop relatable characters, and a family that felt real and representative of life. It was filled with tragedy after tragedy, but it was expertly intermixed with the dark humor and bonds between these characters, so it didn’t feel set out of realism. In fact, this was the truest to life show I’ve ever seen. The acting was phenomenal. I really can’t emphasize enough how impressed I was by everyone’s performance. I had to remind myself several times that these people were merely actors and were telling a story. It felt so real, the most immersive on-stage story I’ve ever had the privilege to be intertwined in. My heart was broken time and time again.
Each character was represented as three different versions of themselves as time progressed in the show: the younger version, the mid-life version, and the older version. I typically don’t enjoy when shows try to jump big time gaps, but this one was executed perfectly; a testament to the writing, acting, and directing. I really loved the way that it was cast so that the children of some of these characters ended up being played by the same actor who represented their father earlier in the show as they aged. It was very realistic this way, and a true challenge to the actors who had to continually jump roles, sometimes playing their own daughter just moments after they played the mother.
There was a moment after the father of the family dies where he opens up a trap door in the stage and walks down into a light coming from the bottom of the stage, representing his death. Then the actress who played his young daughter comes out and the older version of her watches as her childhood self follows her father into the depths of the stage. It was heart wrenching. I immediately began to cry as this woman watched her inner child die with her father. After the show I immediately called my dad and had a really good conversation with him. Isn’t that the dream?! To create theatre that impactful? We all left in some sort of emotional turmoil and shock. Several of us chose to call our fathers that night. Three days after we had seen the show, we were all still desperate to talk about it! That is the kind of work I want to create, where the impact is immediate, long lasting, and clear. There were so many layers to this show that it would be impossible to unpack them all. By melding politics, deep metaphors about life and death, life changing events, aging and family Steele was able to write a play that can simply be described as about life itself. That is incredible, and something I’ve never seen before. I’ve been thinking in complex and deep terms about what life is and our purpose in it ever since. One of the most complex and expertly crafted shows I’ve ever seen. Especially because it was written by a female it did a great job of representing the female perspective in an ever-changing world. I’d like to meet this playwright and get a view into her mind and how she created this masterpiece.
The set was expertly created so that you were immersed in this family home, but it was also flexible to represent other places and time periods. The sound design was incredible. The music was very impactful, and it hit heavy when we would hear things like the heart monitor flat lining, the booming rumble of the house being destroyed, or the final cry of a dying baby in a bucket. It was bone chilling. Then to hear the singing and watch this beautifully talented woman’s dreams die in front of her aging eyes. I could go on forever about this show. I loved it!
I went to go see The Phantom of the Opera on my own time. I have seen this show before, so I had high expectations and they were magnificently exceeded. I splurged and got second row tickets and I am so glad I did. This show was packed to the brim with unspeakable talent. I’ve never heard singing like that in my lifetime. The soundtrack seems lackluster in comparison to the live performance of these fantastic actors. Being that close to all the action had me elated, mouth open in the biggest smile and tears streaming down my face for most of the performance. I’m going to cry just writing about it! As soon as the familiar rhythms and melodies that form the iconic music of this show begun reverberating throughout the theatre I was absolutely entranced and overtaken with emotion. Watching the chandelier rise and then crash back to the ground in this beautiful, tall theatre was so mind-blowing. We were so close when they used the fire effect where the flames burst up from the stage it was hot on my skin and felt like it was burning my face! I could see every little detail and hear every breath from the characters. It was intimate and emotionally impactful. This performance made Phantom of the Opera my favorite musical. I’m not sure I will ever get to witness such iconic vocal talent ever again. Music of the Night must be one of the most beautifully written musical theatre songs, the lyricism and composition are unforgettable. All I Ask of You is now my all-time favorite love song. This performance was so much more impressive than the one I saw in New York, in every way. Being that close to the orchestra was beautiful, and the magic of the effects and set of this show will forever blow my mind. The moving set pieces, the candles and fog that created the magical ambience of the lake scene, the costumes—everything! At the end the Phantom sits on a throne and places his cape over himself to hide from the approaching enemies. When they arrive and lift his cape he had disappeared, leaving only his mask behind. It was a hard hitting and picturesque moment and I still can’t figure out how they managed to pull that off.
After Phantom, Austin and I were on the train back to the hotel. Russel Square had been closed for the past couple of days, so our plan was to get off at Holborn – the station before. However, the conductor didn’t announce that Russel Square was closed, so we agreed to risk it and see if the train would stop at a station closer to the hotel. The train was packed with people, and so we stood over the seats. The train pulled up to Holborn and right before the doors were about to close the conductor finally announced that Russel Square was indeed closed. This meant we had to get off. Austin moved to the left and I moved to the right. Despite my best efforts of pushing and shoving through the crowded train car, I could not get off. I resigned myself to the next station, but when I looked back Austin was gone. He waved from the platform as the train took off towards the next station. The people around me commiserated with me and checked to make sure I’d be okay on my own and that they didn’t need to stop the train for me. I told them I’d be alright, and this struck up a conversation with the two older women sitting in front of me. One of them asked about my bag of phantom merch I had accumulated and asked if I had enjoyed the show. I raved about it and showed them all my merch. As the train pulled up to my stop, the older woman in front of confessed that she been in Phantom before! She listed several cities where she’d performed, places like Vienna! Then the woman next to her who had been quietly listening chuckled and pulled out her ID badge and said, “I was going to say, I work Phantom!” It was a universally placed moment. Everything happens for a reason, even missing your train stop!
I had seen Les Misérables during a matinee before Phantom and was incredibly impressed. It quickly became another one of my favorites. The production was also expertly crafted. The way they were able to play with dark lighting to hide characters in the background was amazing! This quickly became a new favorite musical as I cried my way through all of the numbers. The vocal performance again trumped any recording available online. I heard several people saying that the London version was much better than the Broadway version, which seems to be a common theme here. The woman sitting next to me struck up a conversation with me and told me this was her 7th time seeing it! I understand why!
Life of Pi was the first musical that I branched out and saw on my own and I was very emotionally impacted by this show. The puppetry was so cool, there aren’t words to describe it. Each animal was represented by a puppet operated by one or several actors. There were so many animals, I was shocked when the final bow only included a handful of actors! The lighting was magical, vibrant and colorful. I thought this live production was even more spectacular than the movie. This show would be the first thing I recommend to anyone visiting London. There was a line at the end where Pi asks the interviewer, “Which story did you like better, the one with animals or the ones without?” and he answers, “the one with animals.” Pi responds, “And so it is with God.” I was brought to tears and reminded of my own spiritual connection to my story and the universe. I’ve been thinking about it ever since.
I also saw Cinderella. The writing of this one wasn’t my favorite, not surprising since Andrew Lloyd Webber is not talented with script writing. He really should’ve just quit while he was ahead with Phantom. I’m comfortable saying this about the famous artist because of his behavior at the closing performance. I talked to an older woman in line for the bathroom, (this seems to happen to me a lot) and she told me that the show had increased in popularity because it was about to close and move to a traveling tour and Broadway. We didn’t know that we had grabbed onto one of the last two chances to see this show in London. The vocal talent was amazing, and I enjoyed the concept of the show. The ensemble was fantastic, and I enjoyed the diversity and inclusion in the cast. However, two days after we saw it on it’s closing night the characters were preparing to take their final bows. Andrew Lloyd Webber didn’t even bother to show up, and instead sent a poorly written (not surprising) letter for one of his staff members to read! With the whole cast and crew standing on stage he referred to the show as a ‘costly mistake’ in his letter. The audience booed him, as he well deserved. I was shocked and immediately felt so bad for the cast. They were immensely talented, and he obviously didn’t deserve them. Someone needs to deflate this man’s ego, how embarrassing! It was really interesting to watch this all unfold two days after I had seen it—I felt like I was a part of it and I was ultimately glad I went to see it.
I can’t talk about the shows I’ve seen here without mentioning Six. I really didn’t expect to like this one, but ten seconds in I was blown away. The production value was incredible. The writing was fantastic. The vocal power of these ladies was extremely impressing. I really appreciated the diversity and body positivity of this show! What I really appreciated about it was the message it sent of female empowerment and reshaping of a narrative. They really emphasized that the only reason Henry the 8th was so popular was because of them, and through this musical they had the opportunity to change the ending of their stories! That’s what art is! Giving people a voice and a chance to change the story. It was cool to get to see this show and then watch the writers win a Tony for best original score just a few days later! Two people who wrote this masterpiece in three days became the youngest female director on Broadway and the first non-binary person to win a Tony.
Finally, we saw Girl on an Altar as a group last night. It joined the ranks, fighting for my favorite show that I’ve seen in London. It was beautifully written. Truly the most entrancing and elegant dialogue I’ve ever heard. There were several lines I tried to memorize just because I thought they were so magically worded that I wanted to hold onto them forever. I need to buy a copy of this book. The blocking and directing was fantastic. I loved the way they used simple lighting to their benefit in this one, it was very well executed, and I took note of how much I liked it several times. I would really like to learn from whoever their intimacy director was, the live sex scenes on stage were very well done and had the intended brunt force impact of shock. I was fascinated with how the actors were able to realistically pull this off. I have never seen a group of actors more dropped into their roles. I learned a LOT from watching this show. I was incredibly inspired by the writing and the acting. It reminded me of my own roles that I’ve played and made me want to go back and do them again with the things I’ve learned and gained while I’ve been in London. Watching these people perform made me desperately miss performing myself. I think that is a special kind of impact to be able to have. I loved how they were able to create entire scenes before my eyes just by describing them and miming certain things—like children! The way they made me think there was someone on the stage when there wasn’t just by indicating that there was! I was very moved and thought a lot about my own acting. I watched them and could clearly see them live in the moment, as their character, truthfully. I have never had a deeper understanding of what it means to drop in and I cannot wait to implement it in my own practice. I was even inspired to begin practicing it in my own daily life and to let that energy make me a better actor.
I really could write forever about all the fantastic theatre I’ve seen here. I’m doing my best to lock it into my memory until the end of my time.
Our experiences with fringe theatre in London, thus far, have presented what I would consider a full spectrum of possible theatre experiences. House of Shades, at the Almeida Theatre, featured some of the best writing, acting, and partner work that I’ve seen on stage. I walked out of that show feeling disgusted, moved and validated all at the same time, which is a testament to how well it handled the complicated and layered themes of family, death, and politics. Lift, at the Southwark Playhouse, had admirable intentions, but I started and ended the play confused, and left frustrated because I could tell that the cast were really passionate about themselves and whatever they belted about for an hour, but I definitely didn’t know what it was.
With those short reviews on the table, I felt that Girl on an Altar fell somewhere between the two. The show claimed to be a modern retelling of the first part of Aeschylus’s trilogy Oresteia. The play centers on Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon, and her struggle to cope with the sacrificial death of her daughter Iphigenia at the hands of her husband, as an offering in exchange for a successful conquest of Troy and as a demonstration to Achilles the usurper of his power as figurehead of Greece. Girl on an Altar examines the fallout between Agamemnon and Clytemnestra after he returns from the ten-year conquest of Troy, expecting her to have put the death of Iphigenia behind her and welcome his triumphant return. The enduring bond between them still manifests in an intense sexual tension, even as her heart hardens toward him and his frustration with her mounts. This conflict of interest made for a couple interesting, if uncomfortable scenes, the best of which happened on the bed, the central point of action for most of the play (also symbolic of the altar which Iphigenia was sacrificed on). Agamemnon nearly convinces Clytemnestra to reunite with him physically for the first time in a decade, and she nearly gives in to the remnants of attraction she still has for him, but she cannot escape the memory of her daughter and ultimately forces him off, disgusted by her near submission. I thought the contrast between the physical intimacy that was happening on the surface and the emotional distance that was growing underneath made for a compelling scene that encapsulates fairly well what makes the story worth exploring.
However, I felt throughout that the direction in this staging consistently sabotaged itself. The cast was consistently impressive, very on-partner and demonstrating a real emotional connection to the actions of their characters. My biggest critique in this case is the choice to have the characters step out of the action and narrate sections of the plot directly to the audience, sometimes even mid-conversation. For me, this put the audience in a constant state of whiplash. There were multiple instances where the play was gaining immense momentum, especially in the cases where Agamemnon and Clytemnestra’s spite for each other began to boil over, and then the tension would be broken by an inward turn from one of them, reminding the audience what the source of the hate was, which we were already aware of in most cases. For me, this directorial choice undermined a cast that clearly had the chops to carry the story to new heights, and bring the audience with them. This left me feeling as if Girl on an Altar was an opportunity missed, as opposed to an ancient tale brought into the modern era.
