Sarah Kane took her inspiration for Phaedra’s Love from Seneca’s classical tragedy. Using the elements of Greek drama that make a good contemporary soap opera and most engage an audience, Phaedra’s Love displays all the great qualities of Kane’s writing. Acknowledged as one of the ‘In Yer Face’ dramatists to change British Theatre, she raises a number of challenging questions and stirs our emotions, musing on why public figures attract so much love and hate, why a crowd turns from celebration to violence, and on how the love of a figurehead can drain the focus away from reality. Although this production was first conceived in 2009 its staging this year strangely coincides with a number of recent events: a royal wedding, rioting and the untimely death of a youthful creative force. 

Hippolytus is an over-indulged and miserable young prince; dead inside with a string of sycophants who sustain his numb existence. Whilst his father Theseus (who has never liked him) is away, stepmother Phaedra becomes consumed by her passion for the young prince. Her daughter Strophe implores her to see sense’; she knows all Phaedra will draw from Hippolytus is contempt. Unable to overcome her desire Phaedra falls, and achieves predicted humiliation. Her stepson tells her not only has he slept with Strophe, but so has Theseus on the night of his wedding to Phaedra. In revenge she accuses him of rape and commits suicide, inciting the hate of the flocking followers who had previously showered him with gifts. Strophe rushes to his defence, in grief but also with a sense of ‘justice’. But Hippolytus embraces his new status; finally the blood is coursing through his veins as he is reviled by a blood thirsty crowd. In the face of death he declares ‘if only there had been more moments like this!’

This dark, comic and perturbing play raises a number of questions about humanity. Director Bronwen Carr has remained true to Sarah Daniels’ claim that this was ’her comedy’ and achieved a tight production with believable relationships between the protagonists. Nicholas Shaw as Hippolytus manages with humour, to open his trousers for just about everybody he encounters including the priest who comes to take his confession and urge contrition before being advised to ‘go seek forgiveness before you burn’. Joanna Roth creates a strong Phaedra, playing the outward denial of her obsession whilst revealing the obsessive nature of her compulsion to her daughter and stepson. Emma Peel is an insightful Strophe, the counterpart female who has retained dignity and compassion where her mother is consumed. Rupert Holliday Evans moves with dexterity between roles as priest, doctor and Theuseus; all the powerful men who ultimately don’t deliver on their authority. These central figures are shallow in their enclosed world and driven towards one another by the limitations of their existence.

The ensemble cast evoke an authentic ‘out of control’, volatile crowd that goes too far. In the climatic scene the frenzied masses are allowed to fall on Hippolytus whilst the police stand back and watch, an orchestration of human emotions is channelled into rage. Borrowing elements from the treatment of Maigrat in Zola’s Germinal, Hippolytus is dismembered and disembowelled by his public. Theseus in disguise fuels the frenzy in revenge for Phaedra’s death, turning on Hippolytus, but not before raping and murdering Strophe amidst the riot. Later, understanding what he has done he makes anguished cries of mistaken identity. Well it wouldn’t be Greek tragedy or soap without a few twists. The audience shares in the gore of the rape, violence and death, staring in horror, and is left amused by the sexual fawning, horrified by the blood and dismemberment and shaken by the energy of the angry crowd.

A young but greatly acknowledged writer, who died aged 28, Sarah Kane left a lasting impression and suggested a great deal more was yet to come.

Bryony Hegarty

Phaedra’s Love by Sarah Kane.

Arcola Studio 1 until October 22

Pay what you can Tuesdays apply subject to availability

Studio 1

Arcola Theatre, Ashwin Street, E8 (020-7503 1646)

Bookings http://www.arcolatheatre.com/