Free theatre in London? What, absolutely free? And running throughout the rest of the summer? Yep, that’s exactly what you get down at The Scoop, right next to Tower Bridge and City Hall, the one catch being that, boy, aren’t those paving slabs hard on the arse!
Now in its 11th season, More London this year offers up an early evening play for families, followed by two heavy-hitters for adults, all based on the story of Oedipus, that most dysfunctional of fellas.
First up is Prince of Thebes, an interactive romp that kids will love although adults might find a little jarring. The piece introduces us to Oedipus by showing us his adventurous (and happily non-mother-loving) journey to become king. Accompanied by a prince who’s been turned into a wisecracking talking bear (a cheeky Joseph Wicks), Oedipus (Philip Scott-Wallace) becomes a ‘hero for hire’ and the audience gets a lot of joking around and a bevy of modern songs with updated lyrics which, although well-written, might be a touch too cheesy for some.
The choreography by the wonderfully named Racky Plews is good in this part of the show, lending the cast a useful dynamism. They dart through the audience, puns rat-a-tatting from Archie’s mouth, while Pandora (Charlotte Whitaker) scurries about looking like a steampunk Minnie the Minx.
It’s ultimately all good fun and the kids in the audience obviously adored the hour’s entertainment and the parents were, of course, happy that it was all free.
An hour’s interval done and dusted, and with a mostly new audience intake, we settled down to the more harrowing part of the show, the intense double feature of Oedipus and Antigone, both adapted by Lisa Kuma which – the programme teases us – is a pen name of a well-known academic and playwright.
The story is probably familiar to most but if you’re new to the details I’m not doing spoilers as it’s a shocking, rum old affair which will have you sitting there going ‘Eh?’ and ‘You’re kidding me!”
Scott-Wallace reprises his role of Oedipus, now king of Thebes, and is called on to do some pretty intense emoting which he’s passable at, although it’s all a little ‘one-note’ after the first half hour.
Stand out is Robert Donald as blind Teiresias, a careful performance of power and assurance which cuts through all the histrionics with ease.
As the sun goes down over the Thames, the tragedies really begin to rack up leaving you emotionally and physically wrung out. It’s not an easy two hours to swallow with belief having to be suspended somewhere near the top of the Shard, and if you make it through the whole four hours (including interval) without getting a numb bum and serious bone-ache, well, you’re probably much younger and fitter than me. This venue is certainly a bit of a challenge in the old comfort department. Yes, you can rent a cushion pad thing for a quid but it only softens the blow a little.
So I’d recommend that you either go for the first hour if you have younger members you want to entertain, or the concentrated second half if you fancy a hefty Greek emotional punch.
And don’t forget to get there early: they close the amphitheatre to newcomers once the plays have begun.
WHAT: The Theban Season
WHERE: The Scoop, Tower Bridge, London
WHEN: Until September 1, Weds to Sun 6pm for Prince of Thebes and 8pm for Oedipus and Antigone
TICKETS: Free!!
MORE INFO: CLICK HERE:
RUNNING TIME: An hour for each part
WOULD I SEE IT AGAIN: No. Too bum-numbing and too hysterical for me, but hey, it’s free so go see!
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