Beautiful Evil Things from Ad Infinitum Theatre Company, co-created by Deborah Pugh and George Mann, and performed with incredible energy by Deborah Pugh, completely blew me away. With its epic story-telling and powerful script, we are captured heart and soul by the sheer force of energy on stage. Direction by George Mann exploits every ounce of the actor’s skill.
The fringe is all about taking a punt on an unknown play, delivered on a shoe string budget but hopefully with plenty of verve. But once in a while it’s ok to treat yourself to a more professional offering, one with the resources to take advantage of the range of theatrical support from dramaturg to sound designer. Ad Infinitum have form, previous Fringe success, associate artists with Bristol Old Vic etc, and they’ve used it well, to offer us a glorious beast of a production.
You enter, to an ominous sound scape, hazy black, a sparse set, circled by a tangle of red wires, a ring of microphone stands, the bare minimum of props. Deborah Pugh commands attention the moment the light hits her face. Performing strange gestures, making noises not often heard at such close quarters, setting us up perfectly before breaking out of the light to introduce Medusa the Gorgon, confiding in us, bringing us under a spell with a wink.
The microphone stand becomes a double edged axe, the mics enhance the God’s booming voices; the tangle of red wires the beheaded Gorgon and we believe everything through the power of story-telling.
Now, if I tell you Beautiful Evil Things is about Greek myths, many will shy away, choosing something easier and funnier. But you’d regret it. These myths are magnificently brought to life through the actor’s power. We focus on the side-lined woman, who are usually depicted as mad, bad or sad. Instead they become central characters; we’re told to remember their names, the real heroes. Cleverly weaving the legend of Medusa, (silenced for telling the truth) with the tale of Troy, the play reclaims these women’s stories. Deborah Pugh drives the narrative, switching between characters effortlessly only to break the fourth wall for a funny aside, fixing our total attention.
Book your ticket now because it’s going to sell out and you don’t want to miss all the Beautiful Evil Things. I whole heartedly proclaim everyone should adopt the productions motto, “Be more Gorgon”
