“the production is most successful when plot and acting are stripped away altogether and the show embraces pure spectacle”
Zeus On The Loose bills itself as a mix of cabaret, circus skills, musical theatre, and burlesque – an initially impressive-sounding performance. But it turns out that the way these diverse elements purport to be connected is the true ‘loose’ element of the production, making for a tenuously-linked variety show that is very hit-and-miss.
The plot – although plot is a generous word for it – seems to centre on Zeus (Michael Afemare) and Hera (Penni Tovey) and their battle over Zeus’ true-to-myth numerous infidelities. Yet, despite being barely there, it is somehow hard to follow as well. Hera and Hades (Vicky Vox) scheme to send Aphrodite and her twin sister to the underworld in an alleged attempt to stop their power, but why must they keep it secret from Zeus? However, such problems are soon swept aside as the focus moves to the dancing parts of the show, which are thrust into the action in the guise of entertainment for the gods, a tournament, or sometimes just randomly.
Despite the narrative shortcomings, director Emma Rollason has assembled a talented array of dancers and performers – (Fern Hopkins, Phyl Cashman, Sean O’Flanagan, and Suzie Smith) and they are deployed well throughout the show. While there is a sense that the choreography (Allie Ho Chee and Phyl Cashman) doesn’t always utilise their skills fully, the dancing is nice to watch and showcases a mixture of different styles. The individual acrobatic performances on aerial silks and hoops are fantastic; however, the most impressive part of the evening is easily handed to an incredible archery stunt from Shannen Jones as Artemis.
The production’s music (Elizabeth Lahav) contains a recognisable mix of popular songs that are tongue-in-cheek references to brief exchanges of dialogue – such as Zeus dancing to “I’m Horny” and travelling to the underworld represented by “Highway to Hell”. However, the singing is more often than not underwhelming and is matched by an awkward set, where fuzzy images of ‘Olympus’ are projected onto the back of the stage in a way that takes away from, rather than adds to the atmosphere.
The sexual element of the show is overplayed from the beginning, but the acting never quite settles on a tone that suits this. Dean McCollough as Apollo opens with a few jokes, but acts more like a warm-up act than part of the show itself. And Vicky Vox tries her best to match the mood with some amusing commentary, but she cannot carry the whole show. Overall, the production is most successful when plot and acting are stripped away altogether and the show embraces pure spectacle, such as in its fun and rousing finale.
Despite its slapped-together nature, Zeus On The Loose still makes for an enjoyable evening out for those after a bit of light-hearted dancing and some impressive circus skills, but just don’t expect too much substance behind the showy outfits.
“an interesting and atmospheric production with many thought-provoking moments”
It is hard to know what to make of Call Me Fury at first. The set (David Spence) emanates aspects of folk horror, with bright autumn leaves scattered against straw and an ominous-looking cross – a palette that works well against the performers’ stark pilgrim black (costumes by Helen Stewart). But when the cast snap into action with snippets of wry and ironic commentary, it becomes clear that something different is at work in this production. What emerges over the play’s 75 minute running time is an anthology-style study of witchcraft, which eventually spills over into a piece seeking to tackle the entrenched lies and elusive truths of women’s history.
The main narrative thread that binds the show together is the well-worn story of the Salem witch trials, carried out with much meta-referential criticism of Arthur Miller’s iconic version of the tale in The Crucible. All of the cast (Mairi Hawthorn, Gracie Lai, Olivia Kennett and Sasha Wilson) take on the familiar roles from history: Abigail – the young girl who cries ‘witch’; Samuel Parris – the quick-to-condemn preacher; Tituba – the slave so easily cast as a villain; and Sarah Goode – the poor and despised woman who first faces the accusatory finger, as well as many others. The writing (Sasha Wilson) adds new depth to the characters of Salem through monologues that speak to the power of past trauma and the alienating nature of fear.
However, apart from these few monologues, for the most part the cast play out the action of the trials and their consequences while jumping quickly between being participant and commentator, stopping suddenly to narrate historical backstory and offer their own conclusions and jokes. It is sometimes these parts that feel the least effective element of the whole ensemble – summoning up the over-exaggerated melodrama of the original legend only to pull it apart in asides. It is when the performers branch out into discussions of witchcraft more generally that the dialogue delivers up moments of insight.
Alongside the Salem witch trials, the audience is treated to brief vignettes that examine the fate of other witches through time – spanning from the ancient past to eerily close to the present. The staging is used the most cleverly in these quick scenes; slick body movements and vivid red cloth convey the Gothic pathos of these tales well. Folk songs also punctuate the drama, and these give the performers more time to shine. They keep the mood of the piece anchored when elsewhere the tone so often shifts, and bring a delightfully haunting magic to the stage.
The direction (a collaboration with Hannah Hauer-King) allows the cast a lot of movement so that nothing feels static and the audience is always engaged, but there are moments where some pauses or drawn-out moments of drama might be welcome, in order to let some of the script’s heavy subject matter penetrate more deeply. The lighting (Holly Ellis) is effective, but there are some hints at the start as to how it could have been used more throughout the show.
Altogether, a combination of compelling performances from the cast and a bold mixture of different ideas explored in the writing make Call Me Fury an interesting and atmospheric production with many thought-provoking moments.
