Evening Standard from London, Greater London, England • 200

48 TUESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 1997 Reviews EVENING STANDARD Lost for big ideas in outer space A River Sutra Three Mills Island E3 NICK CURTIS A truly Olympian success for Zoe Wanamaker Electra Minerva Studio Chichester OE WANAMAKER makes a heartbreaking Electra Looking crushed and sexless in a ragged out-sized overcoat and a severe crop she plays heroine as a woman consumed by emotion Rage at the murder of her father Agamemnon by her mother Clytemnestra chokes her throat and frustration at her brother delay in exacting revenge turns her walk into a preoccupied shuffle Here the caprices of the gods and the tangled motives of mortals are overshadowed by a portrait of one personal grief a hugely demanding role which Wanamaker carries off with conviction And a good thing too since David production is otherwise tediously old-fashioned That might seem an absurd thing to say about a play more than 2000 years old but Leveaux tries to make a case for modernity In a programme note he suggests her paralysing sorrow is analogous to that of bereaved Sarajevans His production which transfers to the Donmar in October utilises a new translation by Frank McGuinness and a set and costumes by Johan Engels which deliberately evoke images of refugees amid the fresh wreckage An electrifying Electra: Zoe Wanamaker at Chichester voice rings with plangent grief and when told of her fake demise she seems to shrink collapsing inwardly In one extraordinary moment she rolls in the underfoot dirt her imitation of dying scream evolving into a hysterical laugh and finally an exhausted sob This would look stagy if performed by a lesser actress Zoe Wanamaker shoulders the psychological bulk of otherwise routine production giving us an Electra both truly moving and truly complex mAt the Minerva until 27 September Bax office: 01243 781312 At the Donmar Warehouse from 23 October Box office: 0171 3691732 NICK CURTIS of ancient monuments But while the psychological heart of the play the depiction of consuming sorrow remains timeless the rest of it looks decidedly antique Apart from the odd discordant phrase like or translation sounds like it could have been written any time in the last century And apart from Wanamaker the actors fall back on a style of perfor-might be described as mance that might be described as Ancient Classics by Numbers This involves moving as little as possible staling very hard at the person you are talking to and intoning your lines as if reading them from cue-cards of engraved stone Andrew attenuated Orestes has got it particularly bad as has Marjorie Clytemnestra Rudolph Walker injects fire into his account of supposed death one of those interminable Greek lists of offstage events but otherwise it is show Since this is after all primarily about Electra Wanamaker makes it all worthwhile Her Platde Royal Opera Barbican TOM SUTCLIFFE The transformation of Jupiter into a talented dancing pantomime horse and then into a shy playfUl owl reveals sentimental dimension One day the world of Beatrix Potter may get him The jumping darting choreography APOLLO 241X0171494 5070 ec0171344 4444 Qfe fee) (k017l 4945454 BENELUX'S POPCORN Too few laughs at the birth of comedy LIKE the Narmada the ancient Indian river of the title Tanika Gupta's adaptation of Gita Mehta's novel meanders through various stories of love music and religious devotion Unlike the Narmada though the play actually go anywhere Indhu Rubasingham's production for Indosa presented in association with the NT Studio is atmospheric but vague constantly hinting at some profound connection that will link the disparate stories and give the play a philosophical purpose but which never materialises It turns out to be more style than substance Sam Dastor is the narrative head of a multi-racial ensemble playing a civil servant who has from and opened a guest-house for pilgrims on the banks of the sacred Narmada where he pesters musicians monks and mystics asking them what they have sacrificed to follow their callings He hears of a child murdered because his voice was too beautiful of a millionaire who gave up everything and an ascetic (the great African actor Sotigul Kouyate wasted here) who has re-embraced the material world rambling anecdotes that suggest that life fair and one should make the most of things which much of a message to ponder The suggestion of staging a play in a warehouse in the middle of a remote industrial wasteland is that something revelatory will happen to make the difficult trip worthwhile Initially the echoing acoustics and the sheer size of Three Mills Studios foster an atmosphere of profundity Soon though you realise that it is just another big draughty warehouse and the tales though well enough written and acted in a muted way are inconsequential Was it worth the effort you wonder on the long slog home? mUntil 4 October Box office: 01719282252 GARRICK 0171 4945085312 1990045388 (nobkgfee)Gran01714945454 WiaaerrfllMejirAwirdi Tke Rigral Natiaul Theatre Predactiaa PIP MILLER ALBON FBKE JOHN BARDON AN INSPECTOR CALLS whh AadrewBridfaaat HekiFraakEa Jude Hilda A Geanha Baer HAMPSTEAD0171 7229301Ees8Sat330A8 THE PRINCE OF WEST END AVENUE HAYMARKET 130 88M344 4444 (Bkg) MAGGIE SMITH EILEEN ATKINS JOHN STANDING in EDWARD AL BEE'S A DELICATE BALANCE wfthSIAN THOMAS JAMES LAUREKSON ANNETTE CROSBIE dueded by ANTHONY PAGE Pmsls0d0peni210ct JERMYN STREET THEATRE0171287 2875 15-OctllEws7JOpmSun4m Major repertory seasoh THREE SBTERSChektnr THE MATCHMAKER -Thornton Wider MBSJUUE A FLAYING WITH FIRE Striodbergdoubiebil never cloys When the plot turns nasty and Juno and Jupiter get back together at expense his acting has enough spike to make emotion for once here register as genuine But if this is really the birth of comedy an abortion compared to the Offenbach satires it anticipates Comedy is true to life This just leaves a slightly nasty taste in the mouth Until 10 October Box office: 0171 3044000 THE Royal affectionate staging of by Mark Morris fits snugly into the Barbican Theatre But close up the euphoric mindlessness of basic material seems dubious if not objectionable The situations are entertaining JbffcgsO adequate if good very good outstanding Xpoor DUCHESS BOcc0171 494 5075(nobtafee) cc0171 344 4444420 0000 (bkgiee) Ratal Shakespeare Ceapaay iSfektMRl THE APOLLO LABATTSHuncmtt 0171 4166022 cc 420 0000344 4444 (btg fee) LAST CHANCE TO SEE RIVERDANCE THE CENTURY IMIEDSEAS0N6NOV-10JANONLY has his usual loose playfulness sensitive perfectly turned singing from Mark Padmore as Thespis and Mercury Nicole Tibbels as Amour and Folly and Francois Le Roux as Jupiter Conductor Nicholas McGegan is back on stylish form his blithe energy ideally buoying up clever music Above all the subtle charm of Jean-Paul Fouchecourt in drag as the ugly adorably deluded green and pink water-nymph Plat6e CRITERION 369 17373444444 REDUCED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY THE COMPLETE VORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ahrUfcR) AI37pknkl7tikr UpraarMjfaatfSli 'HytierictfllUl MatsTburat3poiSfeat5pni Suiat4pmEnM8pn THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (ikidfed) TuesdwXniyatSpoi lareatheBrieteHefaldTribune CO NO WT Slimes Leadait Laueti Relate Caaedy Hid New Reek itT fiitR DOMDUONTichdlnei017l 656 18820990 2030200990 2040200 171420 0000(bta fee) Gqa0171 41660960171 312 19970800614903 LaaAeakufaleaiilmwith DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST THE NEW HIT MUSICAL "AN ENCHANTED EVENING GENUINELY GLORIOUS" HIM "AFEAST OF GOOD FUN" Mail Moo-Sat73Q Wed ASat Mats 2J0 DOMMAR WAREHOUSE 361 1732 ENTER THE GUARDSMAN THE AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL ltd Seam-18 Oct Mon-Sal73QMalsWedASat3 DRURY THE NO LANE THEATRE ROYAL cc (bfe fee) 24hr7dw017M94 50000171 3444444400000 Group0171494 545441333113128000 llttalsoatHMVltowrRecoidi MISS SAIGON CLASSIC LOVE STORT OF OUR TIME' IN ITS Ith BREATHTAKING YEAR! Eves745MatsWedASalatl00 Good seals avaRabiefarWed Mat AsomeDeiftwfcBoaOffice PORIELEPWwWCTALBOOKINGSA PERSONALCALLERS017l4945060(BkgFee) THEATRES ADELFHI ccHtaCil tIbkgfee)3440OSS CHICAGO 34400554201230 THE DROP DEAD MUSICAL IDTIUEHEXSHALL UTE LEMPER HENRY GOODMAN Previews 28 October Opens 18 November HERBAL BED ftterWheianVBRILLIANT PLAY EVOCATIVE FUNNY-PROVOKING AND SURPRISING' New Yort tat lion-SM7S0 Mats WfedASat 300 FINAL 2 WEEKS APOLLO VICTORIA cc 0171 416 6058 cc 2 0171 34444440171 4200000 Gtais0171 41660750171 4133321 TkbiTHMVStiresATewerRearfc AitewLkydWehkert STARLIGHT EXPRESS THE FASTEST SHOW ON EARTH Wife knudfc runs 1945 dai I with refah' John RetenSunnmei "Terrific pkya peat teal if Matter fewsoittieWorid FULLYAROONDmONEDTlffiATRE Mon-SattLOOpor Mate Wed 3J0pmSM4Jflpm CAMBRDCE0I71 49450804166060 344 4444 420 0000(btafee)Group 494 5454 416607541333214365588 GREASE NOW ITS 5tk FANTASTIC YEAR! StantaR LUKE GOSS 'A Meatier Hit' DJfinor Mon-Sti730pmWedASat mats 3pm GREASE NOVBOOUNGINT01H8! ALBERT 369 l730Mon-Sat8inu3Sat4J0 ROY MARSDEN "Perfectin' Em MICHAEL Lsld taBERNARDSHAWS PYGMALION CARUNORRB'Attvbkart" DJM "IRRESISTIBLE" FT FDUL2VEEKS 0171 930 Kfjee) 0171 344 4441420 0000 1 0T71 413 332101 BUDDY 11m Buddy History Sea BUDDY Sua BUDDY lLL SEATS 12 PRICE FRI 5jaft Ifth ELECTRIFYINGjreAR 2000 FORTUNE BOACC0171 83622383128033 iftjeOQQ NOW IN ITS tk HIT YEAR ROBERT DAVID DEMEGER PULLAN Shu Hit THEWOMAN INBUCK Adapted by Stephen Malatratt Theantknif aadckMuf play far yean' Mail MoaSigteb3gSa(4piB GIELGU1D0171494 5530 cc 344 4444 THE REDUCED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY THE BIBLE THE COMPLETE WORD OFGOD (akrilied) Ew8pmlwlswed3pmSat5p(n LAST 3 WEEKS CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE 01243781312 FDULPERTORMANCES SANDY VILSOITS MUSICAL DIVORCE ME DARLING! 'ISBBtfflBP OUR BETTERS tyViewnet Maaahia MINERVA STUDIO THEATRE LA5TWEEK-ENDS SATURDAY ZOEWANAMAKER ELECTRA fySipbcfcs COMEDY 369 1731 Eves 8 Mats Wed 3Sat5 TULL OF SUSPENSE Weareteptusangrbt inti! the entTSTel fAUlJirHpu SUSAN PENHAL1GON TVmtentficperiomances'C THEMYSTERK MR LOVE 'A pewerMy dramatic amhetefcal vkki keeps jeaheekcattefeMrDiTU ALDWYCH 0171 4166009 01714200000(24tanobkgfce) ALAN BATES tonHaaiperfiraaaca aaetf diefiaetfif Miami' DTd LIFE SUPPORT AaewpbybySIMON GRAY Ttfertltef witty iafeMeas1 LTd HAIOLDPINTEE'S Mtkakas ud ahiMtkifnhctka'Ind DUCHESS BO0171494 5075 CC0I7I 494 538801713444444 SCISSOR HAPPY IheGometyWhodunR WhereYouCw Play Detective From90ctoher.