ELECTRA

Lexi Pickett, Photo: Sam Cartwright

There’s little light in Greek tragedy and  Electra is certainly very dark. But in this production by the Conor Baum Company, directed by Conor Baum, he and his cast shine a light on the story. In Lexi Pickett’s performance there is a lucidity to Electra’s plight and tragedy. It is a bravura performance of real intensity and clarity and they really pull it off.

Madeleine Schofield, Photo: Sam Cartwright

And in this production it is the strength of the female roles that bring the whole sharply into focus, Madeleine Schofield is captivating as Chrysothemis, dressed as a powerful and driven business woman in contrast to Electra’s rags, her measured delivery and haughty demeanour at the start is gradually diminished to great effect.

Christine Kempell, Photo: Sam Cartwright

Christine Kempell in glittering robes and bedecked with jewels is chilling, a believably evil matriarch, spitting out her venomous lines, dark, unloving, ice cold and arrogant. It’s a very fine performance indeed.

Ava Gypsy and Sharon Drain provide the element of chorus, two women in whom Electra can confide, slaves who offer some comfort and some guidance. Their constant presence soon after the start of the play is an artful nod to the convention of a chorus and works well

The male roles whilst moving the narrative forward are very much minor parts. Ethan McHale’s Orestes sits well in the story and in the final scenes comes bloodily to life. Tim Swinton’s Pedagogus is assuredly delivered and Jonathan Howlett’s Aegisthus is bold and confident before facing his demise with dignity.

Conor Baum is proving to be a theatre maker of genuine talent and vision. This production, borne out of dismay after seeing a much hyped, Hollywood star cast in a production that garnered slim reviews and much controversy. I did not see it so cannot comment. But if it drove Baum to produce, and he is very much a hands on theatre maker, set, costumes, music… so then we have to thank them for making him do this. His approach to staging is very visual, he creates shapes with his cast, shifting tableaux’s that make the most of the space, whether it be the vast thrust stage at BOAT last year for Homestead, or the tight confines this time of the BN1Arts Studio. This production only suffered from some poor sight lines when the cast dropped to the floor, but otherwise, the simplicity of the staging worked brilliantly. Above all this though is the clarity of story telling that he brings to Anne Carson’s translation of Sophocles. Too many times I have sat and watched Greek tragedy and gone home slightly or even fully bewildered. Last night I went away understanding the story and with a reasonable grasp of the backstory too. It makes me look forward to the company’s next outing this summer when they present Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer at BOAT.

In summing up though the final words must go to Lexi Pickett, their performance in this excellent production is magnificent, their physical presence, vocal power and visceral delivery is quite astounding.

Andrew Kay

27 May

BN1 Arts, Brighton Fringe

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