Rose Theatre, Kingston-Upon-Thames – until 20th November 2021
Reviewed by Bobbi Fenton
5*****
On a cold evening in early November, what could be better than a metaphorical visit to the land of Greek mythology. The Seven Pomegranate Seeds is a fantastic play, featuring a series of stories taken from Greek mythology; Persephone, Medea, Demeter, Phaedra, Hypsipyle, Alcestis, and Creusa.
Niamh Cusack and Shannon Hayes take it in turns to portray the women of these myths, and the characters surrounding them, such as friends, parents, husbands, and Pierce Brosnan. These stories are told in such a modern way that they represent a harsh reality that most women in a modern society could relate to in some way. Obviously, there are moments that are less relatable than others; I’m sure very few women have woken up from a coma to find Pierce Brosnan in their hospital room.
The names of these characters are displayed very cleverly at the beginning of each scene, and remain on stage for the whole play. This includes the name being sewn onto an apron, being the brand of wine on a wine crate, and being written in chalk on the floor downstage centre, and reflected in a mirror by Niamh Cusack. One of the names was even filmed being written in sand on the stage, and the video projected onto a white sheet, held up by Niamh Cusack.
The minimalistic set works perfectly to show a number of settings, allowing the audience to picture how they imagine the setting to look rather than making every single detail explicit. The set consists of a wooden door, a ladder, and many pieces of string hung all over the stage, seven of which holding a large stone. These strings are also hung in the auditorium, which really helps the audience to immerse themselves.
This play shows that the themes and issues that feature in the original Greek myths written centuries ago are still prevalent in today’s society, and is the perfect combination of tragedy and comedy. It is a wonderful night out and a must see for everyone, but especially fans of Greek Mythology. Get down to the Rose Theatre and buy a ticket while you still can.