Review: BACCHANALIA, CRYPT

“Do you deny a god?”

Based on the Ancient Greek tragedy, The Bacchae, by Euripedes, Bacchanalia, the first show from Sleepwalk Immersive, transforms CRYPT at St. Peter’s Bethnal Green into the city of Thebes, but with a psychedelic twist.

Bacchanalia brings the audience into the 1960s, in which Mayor Pentheus (Christian Loveless) has denied the godhood of his cousin, Dionysus (Peter Broughton), which leads to Dionysus wreaking havoc and bringing chaos to the city of Thebes. 

40 audience members are invited to the city, being welcomed by a cloaked woman (Maya McQueen as Semele) and being offered both a shot and a cloak to wear throughout the performance. Once in the space, audience members are free to wander as they please, following any one of the six performers and observing them in different rooms.

Those familiar with The Bacchae will quickly begin to identify the different characters, including Fania Grigoriou’s Agave, Pentheus’s mother, being driven insane by Dionysus as revenge for her denying his godhood and insulting his mortal mother, her sister, Semele. Agave and Pentheus are joined by Tiresias (Fionn Cox-Davies), the blind prophet of Thebes who senses the chaos that will soon be arriving. 

While Mayor Pentheus, Agave and Tiresias represent the mortal side of the world, Dionysus and their followers (Ruth Howard as Nymph and JORDAN AJADI as Xanthias) burst into the city of Thebes, unfurling colourful tapestries and dancing to psychedelic songs.

Immediately, I was drawn to Dionysus, the god of wine-making, madness and festivity. Broughton plays the god with a fascinating madness that is difficult to look away from, which is why I ended up following them for the majority of the performance, watching as the citizens of Thebes fell under their wicked spells. Some highlights of Broughton’s performance include their transformations using costumes and a particularly horrifying, yet entrancing dance sequence involving Agave. 

Without going into many spoilers (even though the original play is over 2,000 years old), the show goes into some very dark territory, assisted by the lighting which seemingly changes with the mood of Dionysus, with strobe and green lights appearing during their more dramatic moments. It is fascinating to watch the city of Thebes fall under the influence of the god, as seen not only through the changes in the characters but in the music and set as well.  Artistic Director Sebastian Huang has truly transformed the CRYPT for Bacchanalia, somehow making it feel as though it has existed as a mix of Ancient Greece and the 1960s for years. The usage of props, particularly tapestries and grape vines spread throughout, are excellent and add to the spooky yet charming atmosphere.

Movement Director Ruth Howard has done a brilliant job choreographing in such a tight space, using all of the space throughout the show. The dance style is perfect for the story, with the mortals performing more rigidly and the followers of Dionysus twisting their bodies and using each other as support, emphasising the cult-like atmosphere behind the god. I particularly loved Howard and Ajadi’s choreography when working as a duo, constantly in synch and following the commands of Dionysus. 

Ultimately, Bacchanalia is a fascinating piece of immersive theatre that will have audience members wanting more of the psychedelic world of Dionysus and Thebes in the 1960s. The performers shine with their excellent acting and dancing skills, capturing the audience’s attention at every turn. It is a strong show and an incredible debut for such a new theatre company like Sleepwalk Immersive.

Bacchanalia runs at the CRYPT at St. Peter’s Bethnal Green until 25 November 2023. 

Photo Credit: Ivy Corbin

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