Dionysa

Incredible play, engaging throughout with a brilliantly written script. The acting was stellar and I’d definitely recommend giving it a watch.

A super talented cast and brilliantly acted. Fast paced and clever. An absolute must see show.

An interesting reimagining by Sophie Laithwaite of Euripides’ Greek tragedy, The Bacchae. Set in the roaring 20s, the play examines timeless issues of identity, pride and destiny. Providing an insight into the darker side of groupthink, audience and cast alike are at once shocked and entranced by the malign power of Dionysa, played by Cressida Massey-Cook.

The discomfort is palpable as Sam Gearing convincingly portrays the awkward transitioning of Pentheus.

A startling performance from a talented group of young actors in the Wellington Collective.

Fantastic Show! Best Show we've seen at this year's Fringe... Great flyering, Great costumes on Royal Mile... Go see!

Electrifying! One of the best shows at the Fringe so far

What a great production. Bravi to the youthful members of the Wellington Theatre Collective for their hugely entertaining performance of Dionysa. Fast paced, energetic, witty and remarkably current, Sophie L’s bold re-imagining of Euripides’s ancient Greek tragedy fuses a classically powerful story with 21st century questions. With a nice twist of gender role reversal, Dionysa (played wonderfully by Cressida MC) is Zeus’s daughter, an Olympian goddess intent on punishing her extended family and the people of Thebes for not believing her mother Semele had a tryst with the king of the gods himself. In revenge, she slowly lures the women of Thebes to the mountains with temptation, revelry and debauchery to undermine her family’s self-absorbed and detached autocratic rule. Sophie L sets her rendition deftly to the hedonistic jazz of the roaring 1920s, neatly evoking Bacchanalian temptation with a Great-Gatsby vibe. An unusually mature and well-pitched script carries us through this tight 50-minute performance. A marvellous supporting cast all turning out thoroughly enjoyable performances from the alluring Maenads to the conceited and aloof aristocratic court. Sam G’s excellent performance as Pentheus was moving, as the young king in waiting, sympathetically addressing the conflicting emotions of a young man desperate to impress those around him with masculine bravery while simultaneous secretly exploring his own hidden desires to wear women’s clothing. Thank you to all those involved. Thebes is indeed under attack!

A tale of conflicted Royalty, people turning to false gods and cities under attack… no, not today but set in 1920 with stirring music this reimagined performance of the Bacchae by Euripides is performed and written by a group of young actors from the Wellington Theatre Collective. We adored it!

A captivating and thought-provoking production brought to life by a talented cast. The script was masterfully crafted, drawing the audience into a world of emotion and intrigue. I am eagerly anticipating future performances from this exceptional group of actors and cannot wait to see where their artistic journey takes them. Special commendations to the playwright for their remarkable storytelling. A round of applause to all involved in this outstanding performance!

What a wonderful start to the Fringe!
An ultimate tragedy of revenge, re written cleverly and performed brilliantly! What a talented young group.
A must see!

A unique sophisticated performance of a beautifully written script. I look forward to more from this group of budding actors, and following Sophie in her writing journey - she is going to go far. Congratulations to all.

What a tour de force by this talented cast! Wonderful reimagining with great movement, energy and intelligent writing. Definitely one to enjoy and this week only so don’t miss it!

A great way of tackling The Bacchae for a modern audience with an updated script and a 1920's setting. Some super performances from the ensemble cast and great writing - definitely worth a watch!