Review: THE PENELOPIAD, York Theatre Royal
Photo credit: Pamela Raith
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood is a retelling of literary classic The Odyssey, from the perspective of Odysseus’ wife, Penelope. Through her personal musings and the events of life, the play draws on themes of female submission, sexual violence, and patriarchal roles to present a thought-provoking exploration of the female experience. Despite Atwood’s clever writing and the rich narrative depth of the story, this production of The Penelopiad (directed by Juliet Forster) unfortunately fails to do justice to its source material.
The ensemble cast works well together to create some lovely moments. They have a great chemistry which, particularly in the more tender scenes such as Penelope's weaving, creates light and shade in a narrative that is driven by violence and conflict. That being said, some members of the cast fail to bring the emotion and intensity needed to their roles, resulting in much of the play feeling quite flat. Additionally, the characterisation throughout feels inconsistent. Some actors are giving such exaggerated performances that it feels almost pantomime-esque, whilst others are playing their character far more naturally.
The movement in the play (directed by Michelle Edwards) lacks a similar feeling of cohesion. There are some moments of merit, such as the Frantic Assembly-style movement sequence that marks Odysseus’ return. However, these feel incongruent with the rest of the play, bringing the audience out of the narrative. Many of the movement sections feel under rehearsed, therefore lacking the energy required to drive the play forwards.
There are some nice moments of staging, and the use of both levels and stage space is impressive. Due to the ensemble nature of the show, there are many moments when the full cast appears on stage, and the different levels in the set (designed by Sara Perks) created by boxes and blocks, a movable staircase, and the large, suspended platform make for some evocative moments. However, these largely feel gratuitous, serving an aesthetic rather than narrative purpose.
The lighting (designed by Alexandra Stafford) is the standout element of this production. The white backdrop of the stage facilitates some visually impressive lighting, flooding the space with a sunset ombre during Penelope and Odysseus’ wedding, or blue during their voyage to Ithaca. The use of shadows and backlighting is creative and elevates the emotion of the play. It is a shame that the caliber of the highly realised lighting concept has not been translated to the other elements of the production.
Despite some nice elements individually, the show seems to be missing a clear directorial vision, resulting in a lack of cohesion between different components and moments in the production. This means the production feels disjointed, leaving behind a faint whisper where there should be a hearty battle cry.
** Two stars
Reviewed by: Anna Nichols