Review: IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT Shines A Spotlight On The Cost Of Society's 'Progress' On Those That Can Least Afford It

Saturday 14th November 2020, 7:30pm, Flight Path Theatre

Meg Clarke (performer) delivers a powerful interpretation of Gary Owen's one-woman political play IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT. Under Lucy Clements direction, New Ghosts Theatre Company's first offering post shutdown is captivating and compelling in its content and consideration for the challenges of the times and it is clear the work will translate well to streamed online offering.

IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT is Welsh playwright Gary Owen's contemporary interpretation of the tale of King Agamemnon's eldest daughter Iphigenia, made famous in Homer's Illiad. The ancient Greek mythology told the story of the Princess of Mycenae, Iphigenia, being sacrificed to appease the Goddess Artimus who had been retaliating against the King's killing of a sacred deer by stopping his ships from sailing to Troy. While the ancient Greeks were seeking to aid a larger battle, Effie is far from royal and there are more domestic needs in the overcrowded working Welsh suburb of Splott but like her Greek namesake, the young unemployed brash and bad mouthed 20-something must consider if her needs should be sacrificed for the greater good of her community.

On a stark stage that features a stepped grey concrete plinth designed by Production Designer Angela Doherty, Meg Clarke shares Effie's story with a recount of the events that have led to her delivering a direct plea to the audience. Doherty ensures that the audience sees Effie as a gritty street-smart force to be reckoned with whilst having an indication that she does have a degree of pride in her appearance with perfect polished nails and neat ponytail which turn out to be accoutrements of the young woman's favored pastime of dressing up to go drinking and dancing with her best friend and 'boyfriend'.

Owen's text is bold, brash, and filled with 'colorful' language as it allows Clarke to paint an image of Effie's world, all delivered with a solid Welsh accent. Clements ensures that the space is fully utilized to keep the audience engaged as the combination of movement and the storytelling, complete with brilliant comic timing and understanding of when to be over the top and when to be 'quiet' and reflective, transports the audience to the nightclubs, hospitals, and lonely streets of Splott. Clarke ensures that the audience feels the gravity of Effie's choices and how incongruous they can be to the image the young woman normally wants to present to the world, further reinforcing the need for people not to make judgements of people they don't know.

This production of IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT is a powerful piece of theatre as it demands that the audience consider the assumptions they make about strangers whilst also showcasing a rising female performer who delivers an incredibly strong and nuanced 90 minutes of storytelling. Well worth catching either live or online.

https://www.flightpaththeatre.org/whats-on/iphigenia-in-splot-by-gary-owen

https://events.humanitix.com/iphigenia-in-splott#

Photos: Clare Hawley