MYTHOS: RAGNARÖK

Alexandra Palace

★★★

“the charisma and skill of the actor wrestlers will not fail to thrill”

Is it a play, or is it pro wrestling? That question hovers over the performance of ten characters acting out the Old Norse Myth of Ragnarök at the Alexandra Palace and elsewhere in Europe this year. Whatever else it is, it is certainly a spectacle worth seeing, particularly at a venue which seems custom-designed for this breakthrough show.

Pro wrestling is, of course, itself theatre – albeit one which requires extreme athleticism and a willingness to take significant physical risks – and the performers are themselves also characters in the world of mock combat. It takes several layers of imagination to pull this trick of double play off. It is the achievement of Ed Gamester who has created this extraordinary blend of live action, compelling narrative from the world of Nordic sagas and, newly added, some thumping music from Kelly Braaten (modern music inspired by old traditions) from Oslo. Gamester describes the production as ‘entirely bootstrapped’, in other words he and his team of actors and creators have devised, written, composed, fabricated and funded themselves everything you see on stage.

The basic premise of Ragnarök is that the end of the world is foretold through a battle of fire and ice, embodied in the gods Loki and Odin. As performed here, they meet in the Gap (I’m not entirely clear about what that is). It pulls in their respective families – other gods – members of whom confusingly change sides during the subsequent skirmishes and, even more confusingly, extend through brother and sister ‘relationships’. Given what is going on in the outside world right now, this seems an extraordinarily prophetic drama to be staging. The word ragnarök itself is usually interpreted as the twilight or final destiny of the gods – familiar territory for devotees of Richard Wagner.

But this is the world of pro wrestling not current war or highbrow music. It makes for a fantastic setting for thrilling live performance and improv art. The action and basic story is introduced by Gamester as the Loki, strangely supplicant to Howard Drake as Odin. The big ‘numbers’ are performed by Drake, Gamester, Fin McCarthy and Miles Ley, who plays the god Thor, of immense power but limited wit. He provoked terrific roars from the audience when he appeared. The compelling-to-watch female actor wrestlers who engage on equal terms with the men are Louise Young, aka Molly Spartan, as Gullveig; Rhonda Pownall, aka Darcy Stone, as Freya; and relative newcomer Daisy Jenkins, as Hel. A nice note of contrast is struck by weak-but-strong Baldr, played by Lee Alderman.

A big backdrop set, dramatic lighting and sound sequences by Dan Phillips, who makes excellent use of the fire and ice theme, and distinctive costumes by Melanie Watson complete this intense new offering to the world of staged live action performance. For me, not a follower of pro wrestling, it ran slightly too long and then lost momentum toward the close, but I found plenty to enjoy greatly, including the oohs and aahs and comic interventions of the audience. If you are among the fandom, then the charisma and skill of the actor wrestlers will not fail to thrill, coupled with (probably) all the proper conventions and moves of an arena match. Whether it is pro wrestling as play, or play as pro wrestling, it is certainly one to watch.