The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza
Review by Richie Simpson, Presenter of Theatreland on RWS FM 103.3.
Having thoroughly enjoyed the first show of Conservatoire East's season (The Ballad of Maria Marten), I was very much looking forward to their next offering - The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza.
This show was an odyssey of epic proportions - one that served up a meze of greek myths with enough silliness to please Zorba the Greek.
From start to finish, director Emily Taylor-Balls' production was laugh out loud and a lot of fun. The action was fast paced and slick with great comic timing, combining a mixture of Pythonesque and Mel Brooks humour that gave us a fun lesson in Greek Mythology, reminding us just how brutal, backward and questionable it is.
The stage was set out as a thrust, with a double door on one end, and two single doors representing Mount Olympus and Hades on the other, along with a ladder cleverly used to aid the story of Icarus. This staging was used to good effect, with the action moving at pace across the space, and perhaps best utilised in a hilarious pastiche of West Side Story at the end.
The large ensemble cast was used to good and (mostly) multi-rolling effect, and there were so many really good performances that it is hard to name them all. As the two narrators, Isla Redgewell and Isabel Gipson had excellent chemistry, bouncing off each other in a character clash that moved the plot along well. Wayne Davis portrayed a hilarious Zeus, presenting us with what I thought was an excellent send up of some current high profile political figures. Leia Schultz was a very funny Hercules/Achilles combo, really showing their acting ability in these two roles.
With clever pop culture references such as Snapchat and Minecraft, the use of super soakers and mini soldiers to recreate the Trojan Wars, and superhero montages to tell the story of Jason and the Argonauts, this is an accessible and fun production that would not be out of place at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Note: This was an impromptu review of a show not previously listed on the website.
The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza is at Conservatoire East in Bury St Edmunds from 12 - 15 November.