Theatre Review: Orpheus The Mythical @ The Other Place

Sir Richard Stilgoe's production of Orpheus The Mythical is being performed by pupils and alumni from the Orpheus Centre, a specialist independent college for young disabled adults with a passion for the performing arts with help from Arts Educational Schools London, a leading independent drama school in Chiswick.

The performance tells the story of Orpheus (Angus Morton), son of Apollo (Luke Tye) who has the ability to make everyone agree with him using the power of his singing. He accompanies Jason (Simon Anthony) and his Argonauts (Hampus Lee Strand, Alex Wheeler, Benjamin Mundy, Ben Stacey) as they attempt to retrieve The Golden Fleece.

There's also the story of Euridice (Charlotte Rowling), Orpheus's wife who is trapped in hell.

The show begins with an introduction from Richard Stilgoe, before a celebrity, a different one each night reads a prologue. For the night I went, it was Samuel West, but other guests are Martin Jarvis, Rob Brydon, Patricia Hodge, Jane Asher, Charles Collingwood, Judy Bennett, Bertie Carvel, Barry Cryer, Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter.

The story is stunning and hilarious. Jokes are given a modern twist, and the actors from both schools are thoroughly professional and enjoyable to watch. There are some minor errors during the play, which cost it the fifth star, but generally speaking, it is a 5-star performance.

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The music is fantastic. Morton has a powerful voice worthy of the Orpheus character, while the Argonauts themselves perform some catchy numbers as they sail through the Aegean sea with their trusted TomTom.

Apollo and his muse provide lots of context to the story and their signing too is good and ingenious - imagine having an overbearing father who literally owns The Sun?

The supporting cast is amazing. Hercules (Chris Hogg) features a few times but has the audience in stitches every time. The Sirens (Sarah Day, Lauren Oakley, Georgie Westall) capture the imagination with a beautiful song attempted to convince the heroes to ignore the conscience, have a drink and just sail faster into a load of rocks.

Charon (Rory Dyer) and Hades (Thomas Puttock) do an excellent job at providing humour while Euridice learns of her fate and both the actors do good jobs in their other roles throughout the play.

Every single actor, around 30 in all, does marvellous job to provide a witty, thought provoking story and desrvedly recieved a standing ovation from every single audience member,

Theatre Review: Orpheus The Mythical @ The Other Place

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