It’s impossible to look away from Britt Anderson as she builds a rich universe with nothing but some (self-crocheted) spiderwebs and a baseball cap.
Warm Southern manners meet Greek mythology in Arachne, pitting Athena against Ariadne like you’ve never seen them before. When a Greek goddess is trying to rehabilitate her image in the modern era, Britt Anderson’s inventive solo show imagines the sly machinations that led to the creation of the very first spider, blending wit, myth, and a dash of contemporary satire.
Anderson is irresistibly smooth with the audience, bouncing off those included via audience participation and sharing knowing winks with everyone in the room, pulling every eye exactly where she wants them. The set design is remarkably well thought out, with the glow-in-the-dark effects put to particularly good use, adding a touch of spectacle and a healthy dose of body horror at times.
Acting out the weavings physically brought Anderson’s writing to life effectively and, while the sheep-sacrificing section dragged ever so slightly, those moments pulled a central part of the story to the fore without lengthy set changes. What’s more, it offered more opportunities for Anderson’s wordless humour to shine, underlining just how much comedy can be conveyed through presence alone.
Indeed, the physicality of Athena and Arachne in particular makes Anderson’s performance masterful. Before long, the costume changes are no longer required; one look is all you need to know whose mouth Anderson is speaking through, as the shifts in posture and tone carry the story forward.
While there are some minor hiccups in delivery and pacing, Anderson’s charm is enough to make you breeze past them without a care. While she never misses a comedic beat, the darker moments are evidence of an emotional range that takes you by surprise. Arachne’s topical message of corruption and complicity is sorely needed today, but the skilful storytelling never feels heavy-handed or preachy.
Arachne is a delightful romp through mythology, with the perfect balance of fantasy, clever humour, and modern interjections to keep its audience hooked from start to finish.
