Electra – No White Elephant Productions

Overview

Very briefly, Electra is the myth in which Clytemnestra (Cat Martin) kills Agamemnon so that she can continue sleeping with his cousin Aegisthus (Dominic McDonald), which doesn't make her daughter Electra (Amy Scott-Smith) very happy. Electra decides to stay outside the castle with the slaves and yell about the injustice. Her weak-willed sister, Chrysothemis (Nicole Wineberg), remains obedient to her mother and tries unsuccessfully to convince Electra to tone down her protestations. Electra’s only hope for revenge is her estranged brother, Orestes, who comes back and, well, does the thing.

In this production at the TAP Gallery, the first thing we hear upon entering the upstairs theatre is Scott-Smith's powerful voice as she ululates Agamemnon's death, standing head bowed with her back to us in a corner. More singing from Scott-Smith throughout would be my request. She is attended by a chorus of three Women of Argos: Naomi Livingstone, Emily Elise and Rose Maher. Movement director Amanda Laing has helped them establish a tangible sense of ensemble as they breathe and move through the narrative together with disarming sincerity.

Their use of physical theatre in depicting relayed stories such as Orestes's reported death are striking but would have greater impact if they were more sustained. In general the piece would benefit from stronger physical choices, as the tiny space makes any wandering extremely obvious and false exits hard to sell. Dominic McDonald makes an impressive, unrecognisable transformation from Orestes's messenger to Aegisthus and is a strong member of the cast along with Scott-Smith.

The costumes will take you right back to high school drama, with a heavy reliance on the only sartorial choice for a Woman of Argos, the black legging. This simplicity is preferable, though, to Chrysothemis's over-the-top strapless number accessorised with the world's noisiest necklace.

Richard Hilliar has a hands-off style of directing, letting the play speak for itself, but at times it seems too lenient, particularly in regard to the cast's tone and diction. Their breadth of accents ranges from Clytemnestra's arch Received Pronunciation to Chrysothemis's throw-another-shrimp-on-the-barbie twang.

This is a clear, no-nonsense production from No White Elephant Productions. If you're feeling slightly matricidal, get your catharsis on and see this play. Society will thank you.