Review: The Oresteia (Bridge Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Last year, London audiences were spoilt for choice when it came to ancient Greek plays, with Elektra and Oedipus running concurrently. This year, it's all been much quieter, but that is set to change with Simon Stone's highly anticipated take on The Oresteia at Bridge Theatre, stepping into a vacant slot following the postponement of Stone's upcoming Ivanov. Riding the wave of an acclaimed adaptation of The Lady From The Sea last year, expectations are understandably high for Stone's return to the Bridge, but could he strike gold once again, or would this end up a theatrical tragedy?

It is always interesting to see how these Ancient Greek plays are adapted millennia after their debut (The Oresteia dates back to 458 BC). Of the two aforementioned major 2025 productions, these were both bold in their approach but their success varied differently. With a visionary like Simon Stone at the helm for this production, the only certainty is that he wouldn’t play it safe, and would create a version of this story unlike any seen before, and that is exactly what has happened. Retaining the trilogy nature of the original with each focusing on a tragedy, Stone transforms the story to focus on one family in their London home. With ties to an unjust war, the family have to deal with their conflicting opinions and the drastic consequences of their actions. Set over a decade spanning 2016 - 2026, the action flits back and forth throughout the years as the pieces of the puzzle come together.

The first word that comes to mind when describing this production of The Oresteia is epic. At three and a half hours, it may be one of the more lengthy plays you will experience this year (though that runtime is inclusive of two 15 minute intervals), but I was surprised at just how quickly time flew. I commented to somebody recently that I have no issue with a lengthy runtime if the action can grab me from start to finish, and this is the perfect example of that. I found myself completely gripped mere minutes into the play, and that didn’t let up throughout. Looking back, I find it interesting to see just how intensely immersed I was in the action, none more so than the final 20 minutes or so where I found myself literally on the edge of my seat. Such is the nature of that overwhelming and frantic finale (prior to the epilogue), I found myself having an involuntary reaction with a surprising tear running down my cheek and my jaw so close to the floor, it may have been a health and safety hazard. If you are getting the sense that I may have loved this show, you really have no idea!

While most critics were enamoured with The Lady From The Sea last year, I found myself an outlier having been less than won over by the production. I wondered if perhaps I just didn’t get on with Simon Stone’s style personally, though my response to The Oresteia proves that is certainly not the case. Stone really doesn’t pull any punches when he takes on a show, no matter how timeless the story is. Unafraid in the boldness of his choices, he must be aware that not everybody is going to like what he does, but I always argue it is better to have an extreme reaction to something than being completely unbothered. With the lack of safety in his creativity, that is definitely the case with this production of The Oresteia. Perhaps not everybody will love every aspect of it but for me, this exemplified everything I love about theatre. Stone may have taken a big swing with his choices here, but every single one landed, leading to one of the most visceral experiences I have had in a theatre in quite some time.

Simon Stone (after Aeschylus & others) has made some inspired choices in his adaptation of the story, retaining the very essence of the timeless themes of revenge, justice and those ever trying family dynamics while transporting them to include modern references such as Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. Using references to social media and taking a closer look at intimate repercussions in regards to mental health and trauma, Stone has impeccably found the right balance between the timeless and the modern to bring no shortage of depth to the story. At times, there is light relief with refreshing moments of humour, while others are so unsettling, you may find your heart in your throat.

Another impressive detail in this production of The Oresteia is the set. Recreating the family house, a thorough two-storey replication fills the stage, revolving throughout to show every aspect of every room upstairs and downstairs. Lizzie Clachan’s design is a wonder, building what feels like a very real and recognisable house with every inch of that space used at some point. A pivotal moment seeing cast members racing all around the stage, upstairs, downstairs and all around the outside of the house is an absolute marvel to witness, resulting in one of the most astonishing sequences I think I have ever witnessed.

The detail in this design extends to Simon Stone’s direction- as the house revolves revealing different characters in another room, the action continues in the room that is hidden to the majority of the audience. From the angle of my seat, I could see characters deep in conversation, still moving around the predominantly hidden room and could even make out some of the lines being mouthed. I mention this only because the amount of people who would be able to see them at any one time is the extreme minority in the audience, so the great care and detail taken to keep the action going in spite of this is a testament to Stone’s skilful direction.

This is a production where all design elements get their moment to impress, with Peter Rice’s sound design one of the more impressive aspects. In a week where I have had to mention sound design that was far from up to scratch on multiple occasions, the sound here was a breath of fresh air. With much of the action taking place inside rooms with glass windows, the way the levels were amplified and muted led to some great effect, as noted in one key scene where a huge discovery and extremely loud reaction is immediately silenced. There are moments where you can hear two conversations simultaneously, others where one is very quiet and times where characters are completely silent. The one consistency is the intent of execution is always flawless, with Rice’s design working with Stone’s direction to create theatrical magic.

The Oresteia may impress through its creative elements, but this is more than matched through the sensational cast gathered to bring the story to life. Rosie Sheehy has already starred in one of my favourite plays of the year, and she repeats the feat here in yet another exceptional performance, this time as Alice. Through her ability to take on different accents and always deliver a believable performance, she is a dominant force in the first Act with her absence felt in the second. Sheehy is the kind of star that lights up any stage she is lucky to step on, and any time she is on that stage, even if it is in one of the relatively hidden rooms not in focus, the quality always rises. 

Lloyd Hutchinson has two comparatively minor roles, but is a comedic highlight early on as Melville, delivering some great one-liners. Archie Madekwe shows versatility in an initially comedic role leading to a captivating turn as Lorenzo, with one scene with John Macmillan’s Jerome a standout. Alyth Ross takes on a couple of minor roles but makes her presence felt, especially as Jenny, while Rakhee Thakrar brings a very different but always compelling dynamic with her appearances as Chandra, with her final scene absolutely riveting. David Morrissey once again proves what an accomplished actor he is with a largely understated and extremely vulnerable turn as Christopher. The emotive performance of the family Patriarch suggests early on this may not be the most conventional of families, and Morrissey’s commitment to the complexities of the character while being unafraid to portray him as depressed and defeated is a wonder to watch.

Though it is a largely consistently impressive cast, there are two standouts I have to single out. First, Mary-Louise Parker gives a spellbinding turn as Montie. It is the deceptive way her character starts out while giving hints at what is to come that makes her performance all the more impressive. Though her every appearance is slightly different to the last, there is a recognisable quality to the character that showcases Parker’s always impressive abilities. It is a pretty demanding role, with Parker forced to go through various extremes which she does with ease. The most memorable performance belongs to Tom Glynn-Carney as Augie. What starts as a largely inconsequential character soon reveals himself to be the catalyst for the play, pulling all of the strings. No matter your knowledge for the original story or how this version mirrors it, there is an almost unpredictable quality to his character journey that will leave you unsure what is going to happen next, or even what is happening right then. Glynn-Carney is absolutely phenomenal in the role, leaving me awestruck at his talent and ability to deliver a role that can be withdrawn at time and incredibly heightened at others. One of the finest character performances of the year, he deserves every plaudit for this performance.

I went into The Oresteia slightly sceptical, having not been won over by Simon Stone’s previous production at the Bridge, and worried the lengthy runtime may prove to be a slog. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Not only did three and a half hours whizz by quicker than England’s World Cup journey (I would highly recommend watching a play in lieu of a stressful football game and simply googling the result once it finishes), I would have quite happily stayed for double that time to experience this level of skill. What Simon Stone has created here is nothing short of miraculous, bringing a timeless classic to the stage in a way like never before. The innovation on display here is everything I love about theatre, making for an exciting and distinct production that ticks every box and thrills at every opportunity. Given this was a production that was not initially planned to run this year, it is even more satisfying to see a show like this thrive, but crazy to think we may have been robbed of a chance to see it this year. Confidently the most gripping show I have seen in quite some time, there is nothing tragic about this killer show.

The Oresteia plays at Bridge Theatre until 19th September. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/oresteia-tickets 

Photos by Johan Persson