Reader Reviews
Iphigenia at Aulis (Lyttelton (National Theatre), West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Powerful, intense, and haunting. A must-see. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.154.221.230) | 08 Aug 04 |
| If there were a score of 10, I would award it. This is without a shadow of doubt one of the greatest productions that I have seen in over 40 years of going to the theatre. It manages superbly to convey the appalling tragedy of this piece by the most simple of effects. The production gets to the heart of the play in a way that is exceptionally rare. It is devastating. All the performers give their very best performances to date and Moarahan, Duchene and Daniels are beyond praise. Bechter's set is sensational. The whole evening is a masterpiece. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.177.231.164) | 07 Aug 04 |
| Quite, quite dreadful. (No scope on your site for a zero score,but one star is too many.) - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.254.128.6) | 02 Aug 04 |
| Utterly superb from lighting to set design. katie Mitchell's direction is truly world class, the chorus stunning, the main roles revelatory. This is exactly what subsidised theatre should be about, quality, quality, quality and then excellence as well. See it brfore is disappears. Three Sisters was a triumph as well. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.252.192.10) | 21 Jul 04 |
| When I made my season booking for the NT, Iphegenia didn’t appeal. Maybe it’s the title. Iphegenia at Aulis. Maybe you don’t want to see plays which you’re not sure how to pronounce. But Katie Mitchell’s Three Sisters was surely the overlooked gem amid last year’s National treasures. Forget Jerry, forget Travelex, the smouldering, exquisite Chekhov was the thing that really lasted. So why wasn’t I first in line for her Iphegenia? Maybe I wasn’t up for an oblique Greek. Oedipus, fine, but Iphegewho? Anyway, I was wrong. Deeply. It is extraordinary. As good as anything I’ve ever seen at the NT. It would be gripping stuff played straight, but Mitchell transplants it to what seems like an abandoned 1930s community hall or stately home. Why she does this isn’t thematically cogent, but that doesn’t actually matter. Her manoeuvre is just in making an abstract, godly drama entirely human. Her real coup is in transforming the traditional masked female chorus into a septet of dithery, jingoist housewives who come to gawk at the Greek celebrities and wave their flags. It ought not to work, but it’s a staggeringly effective idea. I was bewitched by their awkwardness, their manners, their obsequiousness. I would award them right now collectively whatever trophies the combined chorus of Jerry Springer reaped last year. And they perfectly reflect the play’s central concern about what roles women are forced to play in the wars of men. The incredulous faces they make when compelled to account the unfolding events say it all. But their obligation pales alongside that of the two lead females; the young Iphegenia who must be sacrificed to facilitate a male assault, and her mother Clytemnestra who must surrender her. Likewise I hope hope hope awards are lobbed at Hattie Morahan and Kate Duchene in their respective roles. They exude devastation. Morahan is strickening as she nobly accepts her fate; Duchene’s slow fracture from aristocratic veneer to heated vulnerability to unconsoled numbness is perfectly graded and very very moving. As a man I’m perhaps no judge of this, but I’m sure that both these performances and the manner in which Mitchell has interpreted the roles speak deeply of female pride and strength and resilience. It is the best play I’ve ever seen about women. But the men deserve their dues too. If the production feels, because of its 20th century setting, like a prequel to Mourning Becomes Electra which played in the same theatre last year and featured some of the same characters, it far surpasses that show in its male cast. Ben Daniels, Dominic Rowan and Justin Salinger are all tortured, complex and riveting. The design is detailed and evocative too. The scene when the wedding entourage arrives is just exquisite. A couple of slow-mo sequences aside (which seem to have no more resonance than the feeling that someone accidentally sat on the remote control), this really is as good as world class theatre gets. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Whatever Katie Mitchell directs next, I’ll be there without hesitation. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (194.81.216.130) | 20 Jul 04 |
| I loved it, haven't always enjoyed Ms Mitchell's productions, but thought this fine work. I particularly enjoyed the Pina Bausch type chorus of Chalcian women. The aupplause wasn't polite the night I saw it, the audience were rapt. Seems a love it or hate it production? Best thing I've seen for ages - USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.43.178.100) | 12 Jul 04 |
| horrible misinterpretation of a beautiful and tragic play. it is supposed to tear the audience apart (as Aggamemnon's decision is supposed to tear him apart). pretentious and misguided rubbish. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (169.132.18.1) | 12 Jul 04 |
| What a bunch of verbose reviews..... A fresh approach to an ancient tale makes for a rewarding evening. True craftsmanship - the performances, the design and the staging - deliver this. But it was a bit uninvolving.......... - USER: Whatsonstage.com (172.140.112.77) | 12 Jul 04 |
| Katie Mitchell took a big step to taking an ancient Greek tragedy and setting it in the 1930s. Although this was a daring move to make it wasn’t a very affective one. Using 1930s ball room dancing to break the tension of the tragic story adds much needed humour to the performance. The story of the play is that Agamemnon (played by Ben Daniels) is the leader of the entire Greek army has to make the decision weather or not to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia (played by Hattie Morahan) for the Gods, in order to grant him the much needed wind to sail his fleet to troy. Where he will launch an attack. For someone who doesn’t know a lot about Greek mythology, you would get very confused. Its hard to keep up with the play especially the some what hyper active 7 lady chorus. Hattie Morahan gave a powerful performance as Iphigenia. I found myself very attached with the character towards the end, on the edge of my seat, not only trying to keep up with story but also hoping that she would be ok. Another strong performance was given by Katie Duchene who plays her on scene mother. Her screams of “noooo” as rain very effectively falls on her in pathetic fallicy is a scene that I’ll defenatly remember. On the other hand Ben Daniels didn’t show his full potential. His back or face repeatedly turning away from the audience took away from the intensity of his performance. The setting of the play was impressive. The shaby run down setting set the scene, mood, and atmosphere perfectly for the play. Personally I loved the drama effects used in the play. Slow motion is used very well, but I wasn’t shore what the effect was used for ? Over all, an interesting viewing, worth seeing just for the intensity and few strong performances. But if Greek tragedy jumbled with 1930s fashion isn’t your thing… Stay clear. Ozlem Baykaner - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.43.16.169) | 07 Jul 04 |
| Iphigenia at Aulis, is a Greek tragedy full of love and betrayal. It is a play which dipicts the myth of an army general who has been told to sacrifice his daughter to the Gods, in order to conjure a wind for his fleet to sail to Troy, in order to win back his brother's wife; Helen. Katie Mitchel's production, set in the 1930s, incorporates comic relief in form of a dithery chorus. While this amusment worked and perhaps enhanced the production as a whole in some places, in other places it diverted the attention from the powerfull lines being delivered, and directed it towards the clutter of a dropped handbag or the agitations of a chorus member. This meant parts of the dialogue was lost, which proved essential in knowing what was happening. Despite these criticisms, it proved an enjoyable experiences as i felt the actors' performance and emotions conveyed the story even when the lines and perhaps the delivery did not. Agamemnon, the general (Ben Daniels, Finn Cutting it) portrayed the anguish of his dillema effectively. While the perfomances by his wife Clytemnestra (Kate Duchene, Ms Hardbrom The worst witch) and their daughter Iphigenia (Hattie Morahan) provided the majority of the emotion for the play. Their interaction brough me to tears towards the climatic end. My advice would be not to make this a first theatre trip, but make it a must see for those interested in Greek mythology. Overall an intersting and effective angle to a classic, that perhaps allows the play to be accessed by many others than it would if Mitchel followed a conventional route. By Alana Daly - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.93.34.14) | 06 Jul 04 |
| A slightly comical Greek tragedy seems to fit Iphigenia at Aulis well. The possibility of Agamemnon sacrificing his daughter Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis in exchange for wind and safe passage to Troy for there ships, provides the tragedy. An absurd chorus group of 7 women provide the comic relief needed to lift what could be an even heavier and emotional ending. The Greek myth is performed in a 1930's environment, giving the play an unusual feel and uniqueness. It is a farily enjoyable and entertaining evening out, even though it is roughly 2 hours long without an interval. If you are interested in |Greek mythology or the Trojan war it is definately worth having a look. Katie Mitchel has produced a very artistic adaptation of the myth. Unlike the usual characteristics of theatre eg. facing the audience and performing to the audience. Katie avoids this. She treats the play like a film where the viewer can see from every angle and hear the tiniest whisper. Although you may get annoyed with excessive back turning to the audience from Ben Daniels, and some lines are delivered a bit too quickly, it gives a welcome change. You feel like you are apying on the characters lives, opposed to being performed to you and being spoon fed. by Jasmine Buck - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.252.36.86) | 06 Jul 04 |
| Some may say this play got off to a slow start, causing lack of comprehension on some accounts. The audience was spoken to by the chorus, which caused us to question who we were. Not that this play was a philisophical play that made one question oneself what we are doing in life, but caused some confusion about who we were supposed to be, the gods perhaps? The chorus spoke rather hastily, which meant not everything was fully understood. Sacrifice was not the only issue conveyed in this play. Power, pride and passion were also key elements to this Greek tragedy. Clytmnestra (Kate Duchene) displayed a true mother's love for her child. Hence brought passion to the play. A few of the actors had their backs to the audience, Ben Daniels inparticular, which on some occasions meant that they blocked their fellow actors to a large proportion of the audience. Perhaps this was deliberately done by the director (Katie Mitchell) to create a Zola Naturalism method of acting. I found that Ben Daniels ("Cutting It" star)who plays the father, Agamemnon, did not play his part to his full potential. I felt that he did not morph into Agamemnon, but was merely more of an actor playing the part of Agamemnon. I would recommend this production of "Iphigenia at Aulis" to anyone interested in Greek tradies or Greek mythology. If you are new to the theatre scene, i would not recommend this play, as it could perhaps not entertain you as much as other productions in and around London. -Charlotte King - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.93.34.14) | 06 Jul 04 |
| “Iphigenia at Aulis” is a tale of love, destruction and betrayal. Agamemnon is fearful that the army will destroy him when bad luck hits the fleet in the bay of Aulis so he promises to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia to the gods. All goes to plan until it all unravels to his wife Clytemnestra. Ben Daniels plays Agamemnon convincingly, his aggressiveness shows the fear that he conceals. Although the acting is good Daniels' ability to turn his back to the audience shines through more. His body language is powerful but during moving scenes seeing the character’s facial expressions would have made it better. The chorus was well directed and each played the part well, however there were many moments where they were confusing and their purpose unclear. The performance was well directed, Katie Mitchell turned what could have been a boring Greek tragedy into a humorous, clever play. A few minor changes were made to some of the characters, like Achilles whose strong, macho warrior image was changed into a softer, camper one. The central theme of this play is political sacrifice. Agamemnon is willing to sacrifice his own flesh and blood so that the Greek fleet can go to war with Troy. The performance is two hours long without an interval. However, it doesn’t feel like it at all. The performance is interesting to watch and needs a lot of concentration and overall it is a good play. The performances by the actors are done well and the directing of such an intriguing story line is very good. Although there are confusing scenes the play on a whole is humorous, moving and light hearted for a Greek tragedy. All factors that make it an enjoyable performance to watch. By Caitlin Buckley - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.253.64.6) | 06 Jul 04 |
| As the lights when down and the whirring of the curtain being raised ensued, I prophesized to myself that this piece would be an enjoyable success, however I was disappointed. Murmurings in the lobby before hand were of Ben Daniels, from television’s “Cutting It” and what a treat it was to see him perform, when in reality he did not convey to me the anguish of his morbid situation, nor the power and terror of a ruthless army General. The plot itself was of an army General, Agamemnon (Ben Daniels) who faces the revolt of the Greek army about to march on Troy, if he does not sacrifice his daughter to the Gods. He concocts a story that she is to marry Achilles, and she is sent for to be wed, when in fact she is called to be killed. Achilles is compelled to help rescue her, and commits this promise to Clytemnestra (Kate Duchene). I am skeptical of the adaptation to the period of the piece, to the 1950’s. I do not think it worked well with the storyline. As Agamemnon’s brother speaks of the desperate need for the sacrifice in order for the God’s to grant a wind to the Army, the sound of a helicopter can be heard, and I found I began asking myself, “what need is there for a wind when they have helicopters?”. I felt the only benefit to the adaptation in period was Justin Salinger’s camp Achilles. This provided a comic touch to the piece in itself. The chorus is represented by seven women, who supposedly provide a comic touch. I found myself becoming increasingly infuriated by them, as they often had nothing to say or do, and stood timidly as the characters around them performed. When Iphigenia decides to sacrifice herself, the women begin singing “All things bright and beautiful” This, coupled with the attempted humorous input of them not knowing the words, and so mumbling “Something, Something” provides an anti-climax to a moment which should be dramatic and meaningful. The performances of Iphigenia (Hattie Morahan), and the even better Clytemnestra (Kate Duchene) are what give the piece some credibility. They both conveyed to me the hurt and pain of a betrayed mother and daughter, and in my opinion, upstaged the famous Ben Daniels. The Greek Tragedy is a powerful story, and this was not mirrored in Katie Mitchell’s version. A feeling less piece with a hurried ending did not fully portray the power of the story, and it is this which disappointed me the most. I would give this piece two stars, quite simply, a star each for Hattie Morahan and Kate Duchene. Emmet Waterhouse - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.93.34.14) | 06 Jul 04 |
| Taking an Ancient Greek tragedy and setting it in 1930 was a daring move to make. Directed by Katie Mitchell, Iphigenia at Aulis lacked charisma and style. The story is that Agamemnon (Ben Daniels) the general of the Greek army has to deciede whether or not to sacrifice his daughter to the gods in return for a wind to sail his fleet of ships to milatary victory in the East. Hattie Morahan (Iphigenia) gave a superb performance, as did Kate Duchene who plays her on-screen mother, Clytemnestra. Ben Daniels however, did not show his full potential, but then again how could he with his back turned to the audience or his hands covering his face on too many occasions! The 7 lady chorus did add comedy to the play, however, singing the wrong words to "All things bright and beauiful" during the dramatic and intense climax was not appropriate and took the tension away from many people in the audience. There is also use of slow motion, which didnt show much of an effect, instead making the actors look very akward . The casting of archelies the Greek Warrior legend made a huge mistake. How are the audience supposed to take a man seriously when he says " I will fight the entire Greek army" and is standing there wearing a beige suit and tie? On the other hand, the set for the play was excellent and set the scene for the entire tragedy in one room in an old house. To conclude, the play focused on one story line only for the entire two hours with no interval, now that was a good move, for too many people would have realised that their back door is still open or that their ovens are still on and gone home to "sort it". Iphigenia at Aulis is worth watching to see the dramatic performances given by Duchene and Morahan and the well organised set, but appart from that, its a very dry 2 hours. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.93.34.14) | 06 Jul 04 |
| Intrigued by the polarisation of response I went open-minded. But it's true - the Empress has no clothes. Previous disappointed reviewers have said it all. This is a sad, silly production with rare glimpses of acceptable acting from a cast who are probably as confused as their audience. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.254.128.6) | 05 Jul 04 |
| Remarkable, challenging, daring production. The staging is just sublime, even if some gimmicks are over-employed. Katie Mitchell has done Greek tragedy and the National Theatre a real favour. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.152.159.29) | 02 Jul 04 |
| I can only think that all the positive notices have been written by friends, family (or members) of the company. We were so excited at the prospect of a new approach to a play so seldom presented but so much was so poorly thought through in the direction. Inconsistencies abound, as others have noted. In particular the scope for a powerful contribution from the Chorus was frittered away. Had there been an interval we'd have left and were there scope on the site to award no stars that's what I'd be doing. And, in addition to hefty ticket costs, do our taxes subsidise this production? - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.254.128.6) | 25 Jun 04 |
| I thought the design and direction were superb. Deeply mysterious and beguiling throughtout, the only problem being the script on occasion. Thoroughly recommended, although not for the theatrically faint of heart. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.6.139.13) | 25 Jun 04 |
| I loved the design and was moved by the acting. A deeply relevant play although these references were not heavy handed. The Don Taylor translaytion gave a liveliness and newness to the tragedy. A real treat. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.46.138.122) | 25 Jun 04 |
| Like all Greek tragedies, this play is full of deep emotional. However, the passion of the play is lost behind the noise and needless activity in the script. Characters race to and fro to some unknown end. The setting for the play is, in itself, never explored and remains obscure. Clytemnestra descends into a parady of the character and Achilles is played as if he were a clown. While some humnour has been wrung from the play, it is doubtful whether it should have been. There was simply not enough tragedy left behind the reworking. I was left really not caring about any of the characters and while Euripides wrote for religious ceremonies rather than entertainment, the deep tragedy of the characters' plights was just obscured. The inclusion of 'All things bright and beautiful' was laughable. All in all, this was one of the most uncomfortable pieces of theatre I have seen for some time and not what I have come to expect from the excellent Katie Mitchell. The polite applause from the audience said it all. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.76.42.172) | 24 Jun 04 |
| I was beginning to think I'd gone mad after reading such glowing notices from the main critics, but thankfully there are a few people who feel like me that this was theatre at its worst! Why oh why do directors feel they have to do classical plays in modern (well sort of) dress and put in numerous up to date references to make it elevant to today;s audiences ? This production turns an interesting tale into a farce and a non-sensical one at that! Perhaps if you feel classical plays are boring then this might ring your bell but if you were hoping to see a greek tragedy then steer clear! This production is a tragedy but not a Greek one! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.252.64.15) | 24 Jun 04 |
| Go and see it if you're determined to - but don't say you weren't warned. The negatives below cover most of it, really. The main culprits are direction, design and a patchy script. Don't blame the actors, they're doing their best. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.254.128.6) | 24 Jun 04 |
| I see today that The Times' Benedict Nightingale has given the play five stars, opining that it's one of the best things he's ever seen at the National. By contrast, the FT award it just two stars and say it's dreadful. A production, it seems, that is dividing people quite dramatically in a way that another current Greek adaptation also did - Cruel and Tender at the Young Vic - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.188.208.240) | 24 Jun 04 |
| How on earth can you make Euripides boring? This production managed it with ease. Military men that didn't appear the slightest bit martial, a chorus reduced to brainless camp-followers and irrelevant action replacing the force of the dialogue. (Moving mountains of suitcases around the stage at the climax was particularly bizarre and distracting.) Using a modern setting can have its advantages, but the idea of a modern navy waiting for the wind to blow in the right direction whilst the helicopters clatter overhead is just one obvious nonsense. Find something else to do, or save your money and spend the evening in front of the telly. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (194.73.103.22) | 23 Jun 04 |
| Awful. I had the misfortune to see Katie Mitchell's 'Three Sisters' last year at the National, and she has learnt one thing from that production - there is now no interval to allow the audience to escape. I didn't get the Gulf War references at all - the cast were in '30s costumes (though bizarrely we hear a helicopter). Neither the direction nor the set attempted to enhance the play, and the hurried delivery and poor projection made it difficult and unclear to hear. Worst thing I've seen this year (and I went to see 'Holy Terror'). - USER: Whatsonstage.com (213.225.130.201) | 23 Jun 04 |
| In terms of design and staging at least, this is how to do pros arch theatre. From the shady lobby of the set you glimpse dusty rooms stretching away, and you can FEEL the sunlight streaming in from the bay where the ships are waiting. Agamemnon's status is not played quite as regally as it needs to be, but this is a pacey, enjoyable 2 hours. What is most impressive is that rather than struggling to impose a too-logical concept for the chorus, we get something surreal, funny, unnerving. I left this show thinking: what an argument for subsidised theatre. Where else would you get performances as intricate, a design so perfect, technical stagecraft so accomplished. Good stuff. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.130.129.73) | 23 Jun 04 |
| Iffy-genia, perhaps? Poorly paced from the outset, Clytemnestra apparently directed to play for laughs,the concept of the foxtrotting but otherwise clunky chorus impossible to grasp. This was a preview; maybe by Tuesday's opening some directorial interventions and changes of heart may give the hardworking cast at least a sporting chance to escape from their, and the audience's, embarrassment. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.254.128.6) | 22 Jun 04 |
| A remarkable production, interesting and thought provoking. Some mysterious moments, why the handbag dropping, why the sudden fall of dust, why the formation dancing and, definitely why the white linen suits? Achilles and Agamemnon in suits is a curious choice, some type of uniform would seem more appropriate. A discussion group with Katie Mitchell would be informative. An enjoyable and innovative production, excellently acted by all. Was there a problem at the start or is that long wait for lights up deliberate? Quite right not to have an interval. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.134.114.23) | 22 Jun 04 |
