The Oresteia
Home, Manchester
3 stars

MAYBE the proliferation of Greek drama in theatres across the country is a sign of the times.

Already we’ve had a couple of Orpheuses, a sprinkling of Odysseys and now the third Oresteia in as many months.

Given the turmoil in our world, where reactionary forces of oppression are on the march and our so-called democratic leaders are sparking wars across the globe, the outlook is bleak and perhaps this is as good a time as any to be reminded of the dire warnings of the ancient Greek gods.

That’s certainly the case with the Oresteia which, at its basic level, is classic Greek mayhem.

Father kills daughter on the whim of a god in order to win a war.

Wife revenges the death by slaughtering her warrior husband as he relaxes in his bath after 10 years’ hard grind at the battlefront.
Paternal honour is restored when the son bumps off the mother.

But this is a much more complex and nuanced drama than that bald plot outline. The Oresteia’s themes range from women’s position in society through the futility of war to the need for democracy and civil justice to replace the spiral of revenge.

At a time when right-wing politicians threaten our democracy, progress on gender equality is in retreat and our legal rights are under serious threat, it’s really disappointing that this production of the Greek classic fails to hit home.

Blanche McIntyre, a great director, delivers an Oresteia that’s disjointed, confused and lacking power, emotion or urgency.

It’s a production that tries too hard to be innovative, where clever theatrical techniques become mere gimmicks rather than adding to the narrative as when periodically selective lines from the play are projected onto the steely grey backdrop without any apparent relevance.

The deployment of the 50-strong chorus doesn’t always make an impact, with local-community actors showing great enthusiasm but occasionally lacking discipline.

At times, their efforts bring something more akin to the chorus from Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite rather than the worried conscience of the people to mind.

Yet shining through is the performance of the marvellous Lyndsey Marshall as Clytemnestra. Recently seen on BBC’s bleak crime drama From Darkness, she has a commanding presence as the angry, vengeful yet controlled mother of the murdered Iphigenia.

This is not only a riveting depiction of the distraught queen but puts the case for women’s equality centre stage. It does make the rest seem like something of a missed opportunity.

Runs until November 14, box office: homemcr.org