I originally left a review here yesterday that I wrote in a hurry while out and about between shows, but I kept thinking about this play all night and today so I wanted a do-over.

To contextualize my perspective, I'm mainly familiar with Anne Carson's translation of Electra in An Oresteia, which I love, so I came in ready to enjoy this. This play is an adaptation of Euripides’ Elektra, which to me is the whackier version of the story that I don’t know as well.

Firstly, I love an adaptation that isn’t afraid to make changes while still maintaining the essence of the original. This is a gripping adaptation with many recognizable passages translated into contemporary turns of phrase. That can be a thin line to walk, especially when it comes to classics, but they did a great job.

I am still thinking through the changes they did make. No spoilers, but I would love to see a review from someone who is more familiar with Euripides’ Elektra about the Iphigenia/Apollo/Clown elements because it was quite a big and unique change (which I loved). Having Iphigenia as a kind of chorus was also so so interesting considering how they adapted the ending. The layers!!!

Lastly, there are many very talented actors at the Fringr every year. I think the Electra in this play gives perhaps the best Fringe performance I've ever seen. The last time a Fringe actor's dramatic performance really really wowed me was for "Sea Wall" in 2023, and this is honestly leagues above that. I was basically captivated within the first 2 minutes of this actor coming on stage. I'm still thinking about their performance and I probably will continue to for a very long time.

I hope hope hope this company returns in the future. While improv and licensed IP continues to sell big at Fringe, and we seem to get more and more of those kinds of shows every year, I really want audiences to think about how challenging, creative works like this that don’t spoonfeed the audience are vital to our theatre landscape. This is not the kind of show that you laugh about on your way to the beer tent and forget a week later. This is something you can chew on for years to come.