• Advertise
  • Request Review
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy
  • Login

Theatre Bubble

The UK Theatre Network

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Spotlight
  • Opinions
  • Interviews
  • Guides

Thebes Land at the Arcola Theatre

December 8, 2016 by Lake Gregory Leave a Comment

Review of: Thebes Land
Produced by:
Sergio Blanco
Version:
Translated and adapted by Daniel Goldman
Price:
£10 - £19

Reviewed by: Gregory Lake
Rating:
3
On December 8, 2016
Last modified:December 8, 2016

Summary:

A playwright and a parricide meet onstage in a cage, in a metatheatrical sleigh-of-hand in a tango dance with the audience's disbelief.

More Details

Thebes Land is a dizzying, metatheatrical sleight-of-hand of a show – a postmodern Oedipus myth collapsing in on the weight of the popular and “high” culture representations of saints, sons and murderers that it draws upon – including its own creation. Thebesland follows T (Trevor White), a playwright who wants “to explore parricide in as non-performative a way as possible, to avoid fiction, to create a piece of documentary theatre”. To this end, his play will feature an actual parricide called Martin Santos onstage, in a cage resembling a basketball court. But what begins as documentary theatre slowly emerges instead as a live making-of documentary, where the subject is obscured more and more by signification, and the play itself is in a tango-dance with the audience’s disbelief. Martin Santos is featured on the cast list.

This makes this a difficult review to write – as so much of the play’s effect is bound in your own search for the truth within it. The playtext of Thebes Land contains a disclaimer, which states “please resist the temptation to keep on reading now… I promise you’ll enjoy the show much more if you don’t know what’s going to happen.” I would be tempted to say the same of this review. If you are using this review as a barometer for your interest, then don’t. If you haven’t seen this play, and intend to, then avoid any external material about it. Or don’t – because to what extent media coverage forms a metanarrative around the play’s own self-referential text is exactly the kind of question playwright Sergio Blanco (translated and adapted by director Daniel Goldman) toys with throughout in Thebes Land.

Alex Austin and Trevor White in Thebes Land. Photo Credit: Alex Brenner

Alex Austin and Trevor White in Thebes Land. Photo Credit: Alex Brenner

Even observing that this is a play in translation is a spoiler of sorts – although it opens new questions regarding our distance from the truth, and what difference it makes if it is the “genuine” playwright onstage or not. The only details playwright Blanco requires kept in translation are a section in French and a particular song – so is this even an authentic document of Blanco’s play? And what does that mean? Thebes Land pushes your definition and deference of authenticity to its limits.

Within the play’s logic, however, T is writing a play. We are watching that play – and we are told that Martin Santos, a parricide, is performing in that play. Then we are told that he is in the audience, and an actor called Freddie (Alex Austin) is onstage in his place. In Thebes Land, you quickly learn to suspect what you are merely told. We are audience to transcribed conversations between Martin and T, as well as glimpses into Freddie and T in rehearsal. But in both, T reiterates that he is constantly gathering material for his play – so when we watch these encounters what we see has already been mediated, passed through T’s artistic sensibilities, preoccupations and prejudices. At times, this can feel exploitative – but of whom?

This play would be incredibly dry without its two powerful performances. Trevor White as T is quietly fascinating, his performance founded on the principle that he is not performing. Alex Austin has an even greater task – playing Martin convincingly enough to invest the audience to the point where they believe they share a space with a parricide, before flipping and playing Freddie whilst still maintaining Martin’s authenticity (if not his documentary “truth”).

Frustratingly for a reviewer, Thebesland‘s self-generative structure (the play is being written by a character, as the play is being performed) effectively forecloses all criticism – as, in criticising the script, we merely criticise the character. Broadly, this is handled inventively and with wit by the playwright. However, the play repeatedly falls into a tired pattern where the playwright-character muses on some obscure external material, suggests he will include it in the play, and at that moment the material appears on the screens hanging above the stage. The first time this happens, you enjoy the author’s intelligent indulgence. Once this formula has been repeated in almost every “Freddie” scene, however, the charm begins to wear thin.

I highly recommend Thebesland, though not without reservations. It is an fascinating and engaging – although not always emotionally – labyrinth of a play.

Tickets are available here.

Author: Gregory Lake

Filed Under: Review Tagged With: Arcola Theatre, Thebes Land

Join the discussion Cancel reply

INTERVIEW / Fraser Grace talks about Bliss at the Finborough Theatre

Written by Fraser Grace (Breakfast with Mugabe, RSC), Bliss is based on a short story by censored writer Andrey Platonov. It’s at Finborough [Read More]

NEWS / Japanese Romeo and Juliet to the songs of Queen announced

Coming to Sadler’s Wells in September as part of its world tour, A Night At The Kabuki is a retelling [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Paul O’Donnell talks about Shoot Festival

Shoot Festival returns this year with a mix of commissioned pieces and showcases of the best of Coventry’s arts scene. [Read More]

Review / The Man who Knew Too Much at Omnibus Theatre

A packed Omnibus Theatre lapped up the entertaining antics of The Man Who Knew Too Much. Co-Director and Co-writer Olivia [Read More]

Spotlight / Inua Ellams at 05Fest Lewisham

Inua Ellams, the Albany and WE ARE LEWISHAM  presents………. 05Fest, 10 – 19 March Poetry takes front and centre stage [Read More]

Top Posts & Pages

  • 10 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Reality TV Auditions
  • 5 Stage Elements to Consider for a Rousing Theatrical Production
  • Writing the Perfect Press Release
  • Fraser Grace talks about Bliss at the Finborough Theatre
  • Kim Scopes tells us about Somewhere To Belong
  • Katy Owen: Auditioning for Oxford School of Drama
  • A Streetcar Named Desire- A cry of pain- Young Vic
  • Paul O'Donnell talks about Symphony of Us
  • Crowdfunding In Theatre - An Overview
  • French's Theatre Bookshop Closing After 187 Years
  • Lake Gregory
    Contributor

  • December 8th, 2016
  • comment iconNo Comments
  • FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail

    Newsletter

    Enjoyed what you've read? Get even more great content directly to your inbox - Completely Free

    About Theatre Bubble

    Theatre Bubble is the news, review and blogging site created by Blue Pie Media and run by a dedicated team of outstanding editors and writers: we're always looking for new contributors - to find out more click here.

    Contact Us

    News: news@theatrebubble.com
    Reviews: reviews@theatrebubble.com
    Website: webmaster@theatrebubble.com

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2022 · Blue Pie Media

     

    Loading Comments...
     

      Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

      Email sent!