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Breaking Strain
Verdict: What's Up Aphrodite?
Edinburgh 03 - C Venues
Breaking Strain's a camp romp through the legend of Phaedra's passion for her step-son in modern (un)dress. If Greek had been this fun at Britain's public schools, Greek-style would have moved round to the front door.
It's set in modern day Cyprus. Don't be put off by the classical tag, read the next paragraph and pretend you knew it all along:
Greek myth Hippolytus in 48 words: Theseus marries Antiope who dies. Their son Hippolytus annoys Love-Goddess Aphrodite by worshipping virgin Hunt-Goddess Artemis. Aphrodite punishes by making Theseus's new wife Phaedra drug and shag Hippolytus. Phaedra writes a lying note saying Hippolytus tried to rape her, and hangs herself - so Theseus has Hippolytus killed.
In Breaking Strain, Phaedra becomes garden-designer Phee. (Her unseen husband Theseus is shipping magnate Seth.) Hippolytus is Pol, Oxford student. He's a super-fit athlete and virgin who shuns women and doesn't know dad's remarried. Strolling round absent Seth's Cyprus villa, he's surprised to find stranger Phee. She's equally surprised, because he's completely naked.
It's not long before they're shagging. It's strictly to the ancient Greek script (but not to their preference). The climax matches both the 1976 classic Japanese movie In The Realm Of The Senses (Ai no corrida), and the end of Conservative MP Stephen Milligan's career.
Katy Feeney delights as Phee, creating a characterisation against the expected type - a homely Phaedra. Her Phee's 49, awakened by a love for Seth she'd not expected to find, and now dismayed and excited about her lust for his son. Now she's discovered the engines are working, Katy Feeney's exuberant portrayal creates a sexy Phee who's full of life - and raunch.
Breaking Strain's audience is unlikely to consist of earnest students of Greek. More likely - as on this first night - it will be mainly women - of all ages. The reason? It's not Justin Butcher's superb acting. It's not his intellect. It's his body. There's a lot of it on display. Yes, ladies, that 'lot's' literal, and we're not talking about flab - there's not an ounce on his superb six-pack athlete's physique. The rest of us chaps slaving away at jogging, swimming and the gym hate him already. PS, his Pol's superb. But you won't be noticing that.
Cast Credits: (alpha order): Justin Butcher - Pol (Hippolytus). Katy Feeney - Phee (Phaedra).
Company Credits: Director - Jamie Bower. Designer - Katie Clarke. Lighting Design - Robin Snowdon. Sound Designer - Jack Arnold. Voice-over - Andrew Harrison. Design Assistant - Claudia Hanke. Set Painters - John Dalton, Alex Dougherty. Company / Stage Manager - Lewis Doney. Writer (Hippolytus) - Euripides. Writer (Breaking Strain) - Justin Butcher. Producer - Passion Pit Theatre.
END
John Park
reviewed Monday 11 August 03 / Edinburgh / C Venues
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008
www.fringereport.com
