Iphigenia – The Hope Theatre

This take on a Greek classic directed by Elsie Yager focuses on how a woman may submit herself to a brutal ending. Set in a bedroom designed by TK Hay with all white props, against a red and black floor, it hints at the drama and tragedy, but the intimacy conveys the feeling of a lived experience. We enter the space with Iphigenia (Karen Barredo) sat incessantly brushing her hair solemnly. The chorus members manifest as real people in video interviews projected onto the bed and wall.

Without an introduction to the people in the videos, I searched for the link between them and Iphigenia. I eventually understood that those interviewed were foreshadowing and reflecting upon Iphigenia’s experiences as a woman but throughout different eras. Alongside these, Iphigenia passes through the stages of being a carefree child to a conflicted teenager and then finally to a young woman. All of this is conveyed silently as she plays with her dolls, doom scrolls on her phone or has a meltdown. Barredo’s muted, disconcerted expression reflected her inner turmoil without words and her moments of anger and frustration were palpable. Alice Lee (Clytemnestra) comes on at the end of the play for a five-minute interview about Iphigenia. There was an effective contrast between the laidback, truthful tone of the projected interviews and Clytemnestra’s affected one.

I understood that the piece was trying to capture a collective experience that women face regarding sacrifice, but some aspects were left too vague to enjoy a storyline or feel true catharsis with the main character. A lot is left to the audience’s imagination.

There was potential in the content of the interviews like the sacrifices a mother must make, and the expectations placed upon women, but I think shorter snippets would have been more engaging and it was sometimes difficult to follow both the interviews and the live performance.  A sense of doom was immediately established foreshadowing her death, and as the stories reflected on heavy experiences the ending did not feel tragic as there was little happiness there to start with.

Playing until 28th January 2023, https://www.thehopetheatre.com/

Reviewer: Riana Howarth

Reviewed: 12th January 2023

North West End UK Rating: ★★