Review: The Trojan Women

Boy, am I glad I went to see 3Bugs’ production of The Trojan Women. 

The show was only 45 minutes long, but in that time managed to build up a real sense of excitement and suspense. This play featured more tense silences and strange scenes of sexual tension than I’ve ever seen before.

The Trojan Women is a play about the treatment of Trojan women (obviously) after their city has fallen to the Greeks. Yes, it’s an ancient history lesson within a play.

This version had been updated to 1950s dress for reasons that I don’t know but that worked pretty well. Certainly, seeing Poseidon (Ben Firth) open the show looking like Don Draper, in the early seasons of Mad Men, was an unexpected pleasure.

This has to be the best dressed nativity scene ever

After Poseidon’s opening announcement we get to watch deposed Queen Hecuba (Cassiah Joski-jethi) and two chorus women (Ella Derbyshire and  Lucy Cheetham), lamenting the fall of Troy and the fearing what will happen to them and their children.

Chorus Women

Next comes in Talthybius (Jack Alexander), a Greek messenger played with slimy brilliance. The menacing performance of this character was fantastic throughout. Talthybius tells Hecuba that she is to become the wife of Odysseus. Odysseus being the bloke who thought of tricking the Trojans with a wooden horse and basically caused the collapse of their city. Hecuba isn’t exactly chuffed at this announcement. She also finds out her daughter Cassandra (Lizzie Roberts) is to be the concubine of Achilles.

This is when Cassandra enters, and we find out that she’s completely deranged. All credit to Lizzie, for successfully pulling off a character that could easily look terrible and unbelievable. Regardless, her brilliant portrayal of the love child of Mystic Meg and Professor Trelawney, clashed amazingly well with slimy Talthybius. In fact, arguably the best scene was watching the battle of whispered threats between Cassandra and Talthybius.

This scene ends with Cassandra leaving, and Talythybius following shortly after, taking off his belt. What happens off stage? Rape or beating? Well, you get to decide that for yourself!

Poseidon and Menelaus

Meanwhile, King Menelaus (Dan Burke) meets his wife Helen of Troy (Lauren Dickenson), who provoked the war initially by running off with Paris. The two actors convincingly portrayed the emotional awkwardness in the situation, most notably when Menelaus scoffs Helen blaming her actions on the Gods.

I don’t want to give away too much of the rest of the plot, but just know that it involves a Se7en style box and fake blood.

The illusion of which I have now utterly shattered

I would definitely recommend going and seeing this play at the Edinburgh Fringe festival – if you’re north-wood bound this summer it’s a great watch.

For more information or to buy tickets, click here.