Nima Taleghani's updated version of Euripides' Bacchae is a breaking and rapping take on the classic, which, while full of energy, seems to have more style than content. The in-your-face characters are fun and the individuation of the Bacchae is amusing, but the themes of the play are often lost in lots of f-bombs and sexual puns such as "cunning linguist." Indeed, the wordplay never stops and is often wonderfully inventive such as when "youth in Asia" becomes "euthanasia." This is a furious and clever word-fest that is only matched by the National Theatre's always spectacular production values. The great tree branch that Pentheus is lifted up on is impressive, and the light bar that takes Dionysos to the heavens is astonishing. In fact, the ingenious revolving, three-tiered stage, in itself impressive, is almost lost in the other effects. Then added to the extraordinary verbal gymnastics and clever contraptions, we also have lots of gore. Sharon Small's Agave graphically displays the dismembered arm and toe of a messenger she has munched on, before blatantly brandishing about Pentheus' severed head. However, amid the spirited wordplay and full-on spectacle, we are left wondering what this production is all about. While there are plenty of references to topical issues such as feminism, political oppression, gender roles, and immigration, none of these themes receive serious attention. The narrative focus of the adaptation is also unclear. At the beginning of the play an inordinate amount of time is spent recounting the mythic context of the story, while at the end there is the brief suggestion of a plot about Agave's abandonment of the child Dionysos being an unselfish act intended to save him. To paraphrase Juvenal, this production of Bacchae seems to provide less intellectual bread and more entertaining circus.
Rated: ★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Marc Brenner
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