The Lyric theatre in Hammersmith is currently hosting the production of “Iphigenia in Splott”, an impactful monologue written by Gary Owen and performed by Sophie Melville which opens audiences’ eyes to modern day social systems that fails to help and protect those who are most vulnerable.
Owen’s play is loosely based on Euripides’ ‘Iphigenia in Aulis’, a tragic tale in which Agamemnon, tricks and ultimately sacrifices his daughter Iphigenia to appease the goddess Artemis. When Iphigenia believes that her death will be for the greater good of the Greek army, she accepts her inevitable fate and goes willingly and stoically to her death.
Just as Agamemnon sacrifices his innocent daughter, so too Owen’s contemporary play dwells on how it is often the most vulnerable who are sacrificed to modern life, powerless victims of events they cannot control. Yet like Iphigenia, they too can display true heroism and breath-taking morality in the face of adversity.
The play centres around Effie, played by Sophie Melville, a young Welsh woman who stumbles through life from one hangover to the next, constantly chasing the next drug induced high. The dire economic situation has brought her hometown to its knees.
In order to make ends meet, her grandma is forced to return to work, 2-hour or more wait times at the NHS clinic are a fact of life and many of the local services, amenities and safe spaces that the community relies on to function are being demolished to make way for flats. Against this backdrop, Effie swaggers through life until one night she meets someone who changes her life completely. The play deals with the repercussions of this chance meeting and how Effie, despite being so ill-equipped to deal with life’s blows, navigates her way through them displaying a breath-taking inner morality as she does. I found “Iphigenia in Splott” to be a hugely impactful play that had me thinking about the issues it explored long after it ended. To my mind, the raw storytelling and highly emotional ending are what makes this play a must see for everyone.
The Lyric theatre is the hidden gem of Hammersmith. In 2015 it underwent some serious redevelopments which has made it a more modern and energetic space for the local community to enjoy. It boasts a fun and vibrant atmosphere, a lively bar, and a rooftop restaurant where theatre goers can enjoy a meal or drink before the show. The Lyric is intrinsically linked to the local community, supporting their values, and working to make theatre accessible and enjoyable for everyone. A huge array of plays, performances and even pantos are put on every year at the Lyric, so even if “Iphigenia in Splott” doesn’t appeal, there is bound to be something on the programme that will.
