Fringe review: Cyclops – A Satyr Play
Griffin Hewitt’s energetic solo spin on Euripides mixes karaoke chaos, audience games and mythic mayhem in a lively but sometimes confusing interactive show. ★★★
You know when you can taste your own bad choices? Satyr does. We join him in the morning after the night before; messed-up’, shaken-down and very, very dehydrated. Imagine waking up on the floor of the club and thinking you’ve killed your captor-boss? Yep, the hangover is that bad.
Griffin Hewitt’s self-penned solo show is a take on The Cyclops, Euripides’ only surviving Satyr play but it’s about as far away from a Greek tragedy as you can get, with a karaoke room/escape room/choose your own adventure vibe and lots of audience participation, which is impossible to avoid in the close confines of Judy’s, a tiny room at Holden Street Theatres. Hewitt is an engaging performer but it’s a complicated premise (Satyr worships Dionysus, is held captive by Cyclops, ships arrive with a chance of freedom but he can’t work out what happened next) that could be set up a little better at the beginning. We’re left to feel our way into it and, while it’s no bad thing to be surprised at the theatre, some early beats leave the audience feeling a little exposed, while the sheer amount of business throughout doesn’t leave much space for an emotional connection with the character.
Once the concept catches, though, there are some properly funny moments, singalong specials and the odd game of Guess Who? as we help unpack the night before and (hopefully) help Satyr make better choices the next time Brad Pitt comes to call.
Cyclops: A Satyr Play is playing at Judy’s at Holden Street Theatres from February 24 – March 22
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