Zak Younger Banks Archives - North West End UK

Greek myths have had many reimagining’s as their moral narratives and fantastical characters will always intrigue an audience. Based on the novel by David Almond, this adaptation takes the old cautionary tale of Orpheus and Eurydice and places us in modern day Northumbria. A group of sixth formers recall the story of their friend’s untimely death, a tale that conjures up grief, longing and fears of fleeting youth. The whooshing sounds of the ocean and ethereal drapes of cloth adorn the stage, where the actors tell us of Ella Grey. This five strong cast take us from Bamburgh beach to the depths of hell, remembering their dear friend and her demise. Elusive Orpheus appears in the waters and captivates the youngsters with his music and otherworldliness. Using shadows of silhouette with ...

Before sitting down to write my review of A Song For Ella Grey, a production I watched at the Hull Truck Theatre on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 6th, I felt the need to reacquaint myself with the ancient Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, around which this play is centred. Orpheus, though invisible, features hugely in this darkly romantic tale and, never having read David Almond’s book from which this production is adapted, I had to ensure I understood proceedings before engaging my keyboard. As I took my seat on the front row, I was confronted by a stage setting of ceiling-high white voile curtains. Billowing gently, they draped over what appeared to be huge beds, again in white. Despite this abundance of white, Hull Truck itself was very dimly lit throughout, resulting i...

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A Song for Ella Grey – Liverpool Playhouse

A Song For Ella Grey – Hull Truck Theatre