Review | Elektra/Orestes by The Hive Collective

As the second show of The Hive Collective's debut season, Elektra/Orestes is a contemporary adaptation of Socrates epic of the same name, although I imagine that Socrates might be rolling over in his grave from all of the 'f-cks' Elektra said. I've always had a love for Greek drama and myths and I was so bedazzled by the way director Heather Fairbairn and designer Sarah Winter created its world on stage. From the dark, unsettling opening image of Elektra rocking back and forth in her black dress to the genius idea of having the actors transform the stage from the living room into the kitchen whilst wearing industrial workwear and mimicking the mannerisms of robots... it framed the world and tensions in the characters' worlds perfectly. Julian Starr's sound design and compositions created the perfect amount of tension and anticipation as we moved from one room to the next.

The casting was brilliant; with Violette Ayad having us all under her spell from the first moment she turned up the volume. A mixture of your stereotypical goth, sarcastic teenager and pain driven Greek heroine, her performance was quite a feast for the audience. Tatum Mottin was also a delight to watch as the uncertain team player and sister of Elektra, Kyrsothemis who I found was the most relatable character in the narrative.

Whilst the mise-en-scène crafted a delicious spectacle on stage and the actors had strong performances in their respective characters, what the show lacked was depth. We only got to see the surface turmoils, hurt and pain of the characters. Everything that the characters were experiencing was brushed over and moved on from so quickly that we didn't have the time to like or grow appreciation for the characters. At times, it felt like the playwrights Jada Alberts and Anne-Louise Sarks were trying to squish as many themes into the play as they could and thus, neglected to explore the intricate workings of each character. In theatre, there's a saying that often less is more and I personally would have loved to see more into the minds, experiences and relationships of the characters, rather than being spoon-fed tiny bits of the cake.

Would I see it again? Yes. Do I wished that the collective could have picked a stronger text to use with same cast and creatives? Absolutely.

Rating: 4 Stars

Elektra/Orestes

Presented by The Hive Collective and Metro Arts

Playwrights | Jada Alberts and Anne-Louise Sarks

Director | Heather Fairbairn

Designer | Sarah Winter

LX Designer | Christine Felmingham

Composer/Sound Designer | Julian Starr

Cast | Violette Ayad, Caroline Dunphy, Tate Hinchy, Tatum Mottin, Marcus Oborn

Venue | New Benner Theatre, Metro Art

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