New Ghosts Theatre Company presents IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT by Gary Owens
5 Stars
Reprising the 2020 Australian premiere production of this incredible one woman show is the actor and director team of the inimitable Meg Clarke (as Effie) and Lucy Clements.
The New Ghosts Company all woman creative team has remounted their previously successful 2020 covid venture.
New Ghosts enter their second season at the Old Fitz and this is a blaster.
Inspired by characters of Greek Tragedy, and like those epic stories in itself Effie’s is an Epic journey. With her we time travel as days drift in and out of focus. She has us mesmerised in her new found intoned “Not Alone”. Thus this tale takes us also on Iphegenia’s moral dilemma and self sacrifice that we may also learn from her tale.
Gary Owen’s play is a challenging script, rich in both language and emotion, where the character, Effie, guides the audience through a time she needs them to fully grasp. With skill, she pulls you into her story—at times making you chortle with laughter, at others she will leave you stunned—inviting empathy while keeping all at a careful distance. There’s a purpose behind bringing us together, and she’ll hold us captive until she’s ready to reveal why.
Simply yet effectively staged in a tiered structure indicating the cement of a broken township south of Cardiff – Splott. Effie evocatively creates scenes with her nan, her flatmate Leanne, Kev and his dog, and the rocket fuelled escape route that is her everyday existence. We walk the streets with her along the closed shop fronts and broken buildings of the neighbourhood.
The dimensions of the locale were superbly created by both director and technology team. Moods shifted and supported by both lights and soundscape. (Lighting design, Luna Ng and Sound designer/composer Chrysoula Markoulli).
For all the characters we met this is an exceptional one woman “tour de force” that is riveting and gripping. Not one beat was missed between Effie and her audience. At its conclusion the audience leapt to their feet.
Approximate run time: 90 minutes
Content Warnings: Strong language, descriptions of violence, sexual references, sensitive subject matter including neonatal loss, one reference to animal abuse (not enacted), alcohol/drug abuse, war injuries, flashing lights.
Image credit: Phil Erbacher.
