Stephen Fry is more than a household name; he is quite simply, as this amazing one person show demonstrates, an enigma, a polymath and an all-round genius. Having written three bestselling books, (the Mythos trilogy), in which he retells the stories of the Ancient Greeks, Fry with director, Tim Carroll has adapted each into a full length stage show. I was somewhat apprehensive about sitting through the advertised two hours of storytelling, (which in the end turned out to be nearly three), but need not have worried. Fry’s messianic-like presence and comforting pledge at the outset that “that there was nothing to be afraid of,” were all the reassurances I required.
With only a leather Chesterfield wing-back arm-chair and a ping-pong ball as his props, (if you want to know what Fry does with the ping-pong ball you must see the show), Fry masterly commands the stage and with his customary self-effacing humour and wit, gently guides the audience through the complexities of the many different relationships that exist between the various gods and goddesses that populate the myths. Fry’s enthralling and pitch-perfect storytelling is accompanied by exquisite high tech animated graphics projected on five large screens which are positioned on stage like grand Athenian columns. They help to place the stories in context and bring Fry’s frenetic and vivid imagination to life.
In this show, (the second in the trilogy), Fry recounts the escapades of Perseus, Heracles and Theseus, three of the best known Heroes in all of the Greek Myths. He expertly weaves together their stories whilst at the same time introducing other well-known characters such as Andromeda, Ariadne, Medea and Medusa. Highlights include his detailed telling of the Twelve Labours of Heracles and an absorbing and moving account of the encounter between Theseus and the Minatour. One of the real delights of this show is listening to the many different voices that Fry uses to bring his characters to life, accents used range from Brummie to Northern Irish and both Prince Philip and Michael Caine make hilarious fleeting appearances. One is reminded of what a great comedy actor and mimic Fry is when he slips into voices reminiscent of characters that he played in both 'Fry And Laurie' and 'Blackadder'.
Fry’s unique combination of enjoyable, light-hearted and intelligent storytelling familiar from his hosting of QI and audio book recordings is enthralling and gripping. Throughout he holds the full attention of the audience moving effortlessly from moments of high drama to laugh-out-loud comedy. Fry is at his most earnest and heartfelt when talking about his own interpretations of the myths and explaining why he feels that they are relevant and have a purpose today. His observations on recent political events lead Fry to bemoan the loss of the Greek age of reason and this really hit home.
The publicity for the Mythos trilogy of plays boasts that the production is a ‘once in a lifetime experience,’ and is fully justified. This show and the others in the trilogy demand to be seen not only to marvel at one of the greatest ever storytellers in action but also to applaud Fry’s Olympian feat of Herculean endeavour. As they have done so for most of his career the gods, it would appear, are smiling again on Fry.
Reviewer - Richard Hall
on - 31/8/19
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