by Ed Fortune
Let’s be honest; if you’re a woman in a Greek Myth, you’re unlikely to have a good outcome. Beautiful Evil Things is a one-woman show that tells select parts of these ancient stories from a unique perspective; that of the monstrous Medusa.
Deborah Pugh steps into the role of the world’s most famous severed head, though they are fully bodied throughout.
The tale begins with Medusa telling us all a bit about herself and how she and her sisters kept the records for the gods, occasionally flirting with the divine. It was a good life. Until Zeus suddenly decides to do the thing he always does and mess things up by attempting to rewrite his own stories. Zeus’s ego brings ruin to the Gorgons and curses Medusa with a monstrous form.
Even then, Medusa thinks she can work it, but Zeus is nothing if not complete in his punishment and awfulness, and she sends herself into exile. And this sets the theme for the show; this is a story of women who are marginalised, erased, ignored and made monstrous simply for the crime of being remarkable, quick, clever and stealing the limelight from the men.
We power through the Trojan War, learning the stories of the Amazons and poor cursed Cassandra along the way. The stories are all finally linked together; Pugh is a master storyteller; they would make even Homer envious. The performance, much like the tales themselves, is legendary.
This is beautiful physical theatre. On the face of it, this is simply one woman dashing across the stage telling a very long and complicated story. But each move, each impassioned word, every single measured moment adds to the tale. Microphone stands become swords; cabling becomes a nest of snakes. A chair becomes an entire temple. We’ve seen physical theatre before, but this is simply astounding.
The sound design and lighting are brilliant and carefully thought through; everything complements and flows, almost serpent-like. Seductive and ensorceling, this staunchly feminist and human retelling of ancient adventures is simply unforgettable. If you’re a fan of Percy Jackson, God of War, or any of the many other retellings of this myth, you must go see this.
Tickets for Beautiful Evil Things can be booked here. Find out more about the tour here.
