SKINNYFEST - ""Iliad, Fall of Troy"" (Live Wire Theatre)

roaring curses and hissing promises, tender moments and scenes of exceptional swordplay

Article by Sean Michaels | 14 Aug 2006
In their spirited performance of the classic epic, Live Wire Theatre present an excellent argument for the value of youth theatre companies – and a reminder of the challenges that face them. The actors make committed, vigorous performances – roaring curses and hissing promises, tender moments intercut with scenes of exceptional swordplay. The play is written in modern language but it remains a faithful production: the speeches are formal, the setting unchanged, and though the costumes take modern touches – military jackets, kilts, gowns, - it evokes ancient Greece more than downtown Edinburgh.

The story is, of course, one of the eldest in the Western canon. The beautiful Helen is taken from the Greeks by a Trojan prince, Paris, and her husband's family declare war. With a thousand ships and a collection of heroes – Achilles, Odysseus, et al, - the Greeks lay siege to Troy. In ninety minutes the cast moves fleet-footed through The Iliad and a solid chunk of The Odyssey, never rushed, highlighting themes of love, regret, betrayal and violence. Though some actors bellow each line with the same flat expression, there are standout performances in the scenes between Trojan king Hector and his wracked wife Andromache, and scene-stealing moments when Odysseus' wife Penelope takes the stage. It's ultimately a surprisingly subtle play, strengthened by the convictions of its committed, professional cast.

Plays at Venue 45 on August 11-12. http://www.edfringe.com/shows/detail.php?action=shows&id=ILIAD