CULTURE CLUB
Greek out!
Edition Reviews: The Cambridge Greek Play
ALEX FICE TRACKS DOWN CAMBRIDGE’S QUIRKIEST SHOWS AND BRINGS YOU THE LOWDOWN
Rarer than a total solar eclipse, the triennial Cambridge Greek Play was always bound to create a stir when it returned. Arriving at Cambridge Arts Theatre on its opening night, the scene was suitably packed out. Corridors hummed with excitement as we waited for the theatre doors to open, before pouring inside to take our seats for a double bill of The Persians by Aeschylus and Cyclops by Euripides. It’s worth pointing out to the uninitiated that the Cambridge Greek Play is not simply a modern recreation of Ancient Greece’s greatest theatrical hits; it is also performed in the original language – that is, ancient Greek – a language that has been out of use for more than two millennia. Generally, the play is performed by a crew of students and alumni from the University of Cambridge, the vast majority of whom have studied classics, giving them at least a bit of a head start when it comes to tackling the script. I, on the other hand, speak only a handful of words from modern Greek (the kind that come in handy in a restaurant or bar on holiday). So, I was enormously relieved to see two screens on either side of the stage, ready to deliver a steady stream of surtitles throughout the show. The curtain flew up to reveal the striking stage design for The Persians , featuring an impressive step-like structure that combined the linear forms of brutalist architecture with classical Greek flourishes, set against a dramatic crimson backdrop – foreshadowing the bloodshed to come. The play offers a devastating account of how the Persians were annihilated by the Greeks in the Battle of Salamis, a historic event that took place in 480 BCE. Written for Greek audiences, the play has long presented a colossal challenge to directors who have sought to communicate the visceral feelings it would have evoked at the time, while respecting its characteristically static and song-laden nature. Taking on this Herculean task was professional director Dan Goldman, who also directed the play in 2019. Through a combination of discordant musical narration and sound effects from the
TALE OF TWO HALVES Following the tragedy of the first play, Euripides’ Cyclops provided some comic relief
chorus – including a stream of soul-piercing moans after the resurrected King Darius warns of further defeats to come – the tragedy befallen by the Persians was emphatically captured. Compelling performances by recent grads Maria Telnikoff as Atossa and Saul Barrett as Xerxes also helped cast a spell over the audience, inviting us to empathise with the grief of the Persians. After such a harrowing first half, the second instalment offered plenty of sweet relief. The earliest indication of this change in tone came not from the performers, but from the trusty surtitles. They had provided a fairly neutral commentary on events thus far. Not so for Cyclops , as they took on a voice of their own, eliciting chuckles before the play even began. The set design also reflected this shift in tone, with playful primary colours and a cartoonish style that was echoed in the design of the props and the cast’s costuming – which saw a dazzling revival of light-up trainers (a fashion statement now as dated as the classic Greek tunic). The bawdy chorus of satyrs also lowered the tone
appropriately, proudly rising to the occasion – quite literally, if you’ll excuse the pun – as they channelled their lascivious side with the help of some tongue-in-cheek touches from the costume department. Both Ilya Wray and Saul Bailey excelled in their slick interpretations of the heroic Odysseus and the pusillanimous Silenus. But the star of the show was Polyphemus the cyclops, a 12ft puppet brought to life by two cast members, including Jude Ashcroft, who effortlessly provided the simpering tones of the beastly baddie. The masterful handling of this technical challenge perfectly demonstrated the ambition of the play, catapulting it from the realm of student production into professional territory. As eccentric as it is academic, the Cambridge Greek Play has now spanned three centuries, survived two World Wars and side-stepped a global pandemic. If there was ever any doubt if such a tradition could continue into the 21st century, then this production has proven it to be thoroughly alive and kicking; we await its return!
10 DECEMBER 2022 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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