Bacchae - Student Review

On the 8th of February, our A Level Classical Civilisation class attended a performance of Euripides’ Bacchae, performed by the UCL Classics and drama students at the Bloomsbury theatre. An end-on stage was used, with lighting and decoration of ivy and cloths used to incorporate the supernatural elements of the play. Costumes were simple yet informative and precise to character portrayals. The UCL drama students embodied the roles of their characters faultlessly, such as the performer of Dionysus depicted the god’s liberated and egotistical behavior naturally. We were able to understand his expelled ecstasy, craze, and allures.

We were also able to see a modern take on the Greek chorus. Rather than staying in the orchestra for the whole performance, they were on stage with the actors as they sang the choral odes and responded to the actions of the play. We also appreciated the incorporation of Agave into the chorus of Maenads when this was not specified in the play. The group dynamics of the chorus is essential to their performance in the play, and this really came across in the performance we watched.

As we’ve been studying Greek theatre and the Bacchae during our A Levels, being able to watch a live performance of an ancient Greek play enhanced our understanding of the performance itself as well as entertaining us as it had done the ancient Greeks before.

Anna and Sophie - Year 12