Rogue Theatre - Wild Entertainment
KING ARTHUR REVIEW
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Posted date:
September 18, 2012 |
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Rogue Theatre King Arthur The Wild Hunt – review published in the Cornishman 13.09.12
Living in West Penwith you become accustomed to fog, the north coast around Pendeen and St Just being particularly susceptible to mist bowling in from the sea. Spooky at times, it proved the perfect special-effect for Rogue Theatre’s epic new production, King Arthur and The Wild Hunt. Their most ambitious show to date, interpreting myth and legend in the inspired setting of Tehidy Woods, we were taken on a journey through the shrouded mists of Avalon, looking for heroes and finding universal truths unchanged by the passing of time.
A lush visual and sensual feast, featuring a highly talented (and youthfully energetic) creative team, this innovative Cornish company are trailblazing their way beyond the Kneehigh, Miracle, Wildworks legacy, to present a fresh and vibrant approach to Cornish theatre. Call it brave or foolhardy to set up a residency in the great outdoors at the mercy of the elements, but the gamble paid off. Even in less than clement conditions, audiences turned out in droves, but believe me, it was a breathtakingly beautiful experience, well-worth getting slightly sodden for.
Beguiling, beckoning maidens, an amiable blacksmith fashioning a sword at his forge, and the omnipresent Merlin mixing potions, welcomed us as we trudged the muddy pathways towards the central stage, where straw-bale seating and caldrons bubbling over glowing fires, made the 21st century seem a distant memory. While the familiar triangular love story between Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere unfolded before us, it never felt stale or boring. Stunning costumes, hauntingly powerful music courtesy of musical director Tom Peay, delightful dance vignettes, and an almost Python-esque portrayal of the Knights of the Round Table (and no, The Holy Grail didn’t turn out to be an Ipod!) it had it all. Not forgetting Anna Murphy’s rich and redolent poetry and text, Romain Arreghini’s (Lancelot’s) legs (encased in slinky silver snakeskin leggings, they really were rather remarkable) while through it all, an authenticity of storytelling allowed us to enter their world for a blessed few hours. True theatre warriors, Rogue have fought the cutting-edge battle and won.
Beguiling, beckoning maidens, an amiable blacksmith fashioning a sword at his forge, and the omnipresent Merlin mixing potions, welcomed us as we trudged the muddy pathways towards the central stage, where straw-bale seating and caldrons bubbling over glowing fires, made the 21st century seem a distant memory. While the familiar triangular love story between Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere unfolded before us, it never felt stale or boring. Stunning costumes, hauntingly powerful music courtesy of musical director Tom Peay, delightful dance vignettes, and an almost Python-esque portrayal of the Knights of the Round Table (and no, The Holy Grail didn’t turn out to be an Ipod!) it had it all. Not forgetting Anna Murphy’s rich and redolent poetry and text, Romain Arreghini’s (Lancelot’s) legs (encased in slinky silver snakeskin leggings, they really were rather remarkable) while through it all, an authenticity of storytelling allowed us to enter their world for a blessed few hours. True theatre warriors, Rogue have fought the cutting-edge battle and won.
