Indhu Rubasingham has begun her tenure as artistic director of the National Theatre with a phenomenal burst of energy
The opening scene in her production of the Greek tragedy Bacchae – adapted by the debut playwright Nima Taleghani – has a vast white horse’s head suspended above the stage, dripping blood. The words coup de théâtre have been deployed often enough but seem invented for this moment.
A common criticism of the National in recent years – under Sir Rufus Norris’s longer-than-usual tenure – is that it had become a little too safe and predictable for its own good, but Rubashingham with this production signals it’s under new management with big and bold ambitions.
There is certainly some big, bold acting – always necessary for the Olivier’s vast stage – from the likes of Clare Perkins in a narrator role as Vida and Ukweli Roach and James McArdle as Dio and Penthouse respectively. The script includes some voguish references to today’s populist politics and the action moves along at quite a pace, which is just as well as 100 minutes with no interval could otherwise feel like a very long time to be sat down.
Overall, this is a brave opening production from Rubashingham and it does everything the National Theatre should be doing – providing epic, moving, funny, stories for everyone that have resonance with the times in which we live. The lighting (by Oliver Fenwick) and design (Robert Jones) were as stunning as anything I’ve ever seen and Rubashingham’s direction is, as ever, classy and assured. It’d be a tragedy to miss out on this experience.
Bacchae is at the National Theatre until November 1
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