Simon Stone's adaptation of The Oresteia at the Bridge Theatre is a trashy, true crime-influenced take on the Greek tragedy that is preposterous but incredibly good fun. The three-and-a-half-hour production, starring Mary-Louise Parker and David Morrissey, whizzes by with relentless grip.
A modern twist on an ancient myth
Stone, an Australian director, is known for his free adaptations of classics that focus on sweary, witty, slightly awful upper-middle-class characters in nice Grand Designs-style houses. While his openings are often similar, The Oresteia is the apotheosis of his style, an expansive adaptation of the Greek legend about the fall of the house of Agamemnon.
The original story begins with Agamemnon sacrificing his daughter Iphigenia to the gods. Here, the death of Iphigenia-equivalent Isobel is shrouded in mystery until the end, with a non-linear structure that maximizes shock value, taking cues from true crime podcasts. After a classic Stone opening introducing dad Christopher (Morrissey), mum Montie (Parker), and kids Augie (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Alice (Rosie Sheehy), the story skips forward a decade to Christopher's death and Augie's attempt to convince a detective he killed Montie in revenge.
More than just Aeschylus
Stone's Oresteia should not be seen as a direct version of Aeschylus' play or Robert Icke's 2015 adaptation. Stone does his own thing, changing Greek elements that would make no sense in his prosaic world of rich kids. Isobel's death isn't Christopher's fault, Parker's Montie becomes an overt villain, and Augie's revenge is driven by mental health issues. The redemptive final act of Aeschylus is ignored.
The result is a compulsive revenge thriller, expertly paced and structured. The non-linear structure works well, and Lizzie Clachan's revolving house set enhances the pacing, with scenes set up on the unseen side before spinning around.
Strong performances and entertaining characters
Sheehy's performance as Alice is a delight, a vibrant cocktail of privilege and inferiority complex. Parker teeters on the edge of panto villain but excels, with gloriously scenery-chewing monologues. Rakhee Thakrar shines as Christopher's parodically wholesome new girlfriend Chandra. Morrissey's baleful Christopher often feels beamed in from a different play, but his dour presence adds a certain texture. John Macmillan's hilariously ineffectual single dad Jerome isn't plausible but adds to the entertainment.
Stone's adaptation is totally Greek myth gone Saltburn. It is easy to be cynical about his repetitive sets and bombastic takes, but here he is incredibly fun. The production runs at the Bridge Theatre until September 19.
