Photo Flash: First Look at Festival of Chaos' THE BACCHAE

A new version of Euripides' Greek tragedy The Bacchae by playwright RosAnna Lowe (Elektra at Cambridge Arts Theatre), takes audiences into the underbelly of a modern city built on money and greed, where a riotous underground world is emerging. Through song and ritual, Dionysus unleashes the sexuality of a cult of female Bacchae, not only to seek revenge on the city above that he thinks has forgotten him, but to remind us that his spirit lies within us all and we ignore him at our peril. This devastating yet surprisingly comic tale plunges audiences into an atmospheric world of dancing, drinking and laughter on the one hand… and murder, violence and retribution on the other. The Bacchae will be performed in the now disused Chronicle & Echo Printing Press Rooms.

The Bacchae is performed by Robert Benfield, Liam Bergin, Donna Berlin, Jim Bywater, Philip Cairns, Rosie Ede, Alicia Davies, Seline Hizli, Ery Nzaramba, Kathryn Pogson and Amanda Wilkin.

The Bacchae is directed by Royal & Derngate's Artistic Director Laurie Sansom, who was responsible for the award-winning Young America double bill Spring Storm and Beyond the Horizon, which transferred to The National Theatre in London, The Holy Rosenbergs also at the National, The Duchess of Malfi and Eden End at Royal & Derngate and on tour. Associate Director is Neil Bettles (ThickSkin and Frantic Assembly). Both pieces feature original music by Dougal Irvine who is working with Royal & Derngate as part of the Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer Scheme. Dougal trained at the Royal Court and his first musical, Departure Lounge, won the MTM (Musical Theatre Matters) Award for Best Music for a New Musical and was nominated for Best New Musical in the 2011 WhatsOnStage Awards.

The creative team includes Director - Laurie Sansom, Writer – The Bacchae RosAnna Lowe, Writer – Blood Wedding Tommy Murphy, Designer – The Bacchae takis, Designer – Blood Wedding Oliver Townsend, Composer Dougal Irvine, Associate Director Neil Bettles, Lighting Designer Philip Gladwell, Sound Designer Christopher Shutt and Musical Director Thomas J Indge.

The Bacchae is performed at the Northampton Chronicle & Echo Printing Press Rooms, Earl Street, Northampton NN1 3HR.

Blood Wedding is performed in the Royal auditorium, Royal & Derngate, Guildhall Road, Northampton NN1 1DP.

Tickets are available from Royal & Derngate Box Office on 01604 624811 or www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

Northampton in only an hour away from London by train.

Photo Credit:  Robert Day

Seline Hizli and Ery Nzaramba

Ery Nzaramba and Liam Bergin

Philip Cairns and Liam Bergin

Donna Berlin

Amanda Wilkin