Iphigenia in Splott
by Gary Owen
Directed by Patrick Siler
Upstream Theater
January 21, 2022
Jennifer Theby-Quinn
Photo by ProPhotoSTL.com
Upstream Theater
Upstream Theater has returned to live performance with a riveting, compelling showcase for a consistently excellent local performer. Iphigenia in Splott is Welsh playwright Gary Owen’s complex exploration of one woman’s life in a traditionally working class area of Cardiff, inspired by the Greek tale of a young woman’s sacrifice by her soldier father in order to bring about a victory in battle. Here, the battles and wars are more metaphorical, but the drama is very real, as is the singularly impressive and emotionally raw performance by its star, Jennifer Theby-Quinn.
Theby-Quinn plays Effie, a hard-partying young woman who initially lives a day-to-day life of numbness and hangovers, which she actively seeks in order to pass the time between club outings and parties. She lives in a small flat and doesn’t have much of a support network beyond an equally hard-partying flatmate and a sort-of-boyfriend who she doesn’t seem to like very much. There’s also her grandmother, who gives her money that Effie grudgingly accepts, but for the most part, hers is a life of emptiness punctuated by raucous excess. Narrating the story as events unfold, Effie is a larger-than-life personality, but is increasingly challenged by her circumstances, and meetings with various people who cause her to think more deeply about her changing situations, as she meets a new guy at a bar who turns out to be more than he first appears. This meeting leads to a series of events that not only change Effie’s life, but also challenge the audience’s perspective–as Effie herself blatantly does at various moments–and parallels the source material in a less-direct and more metaphorical sense, as our “Iphigenia” experiences sacrifice in a series of different ways and the various people and institutions in her life–mostly those of a “higher” social class–use her as a vessel for their own comfort and/or improvement, or else ignore her needs altogether.
I’m not going into much detail concerning what happens, because the drama of the story, and the power of the performance, depend much upon Effie’s personal experience and discoveries along the way. She is confronted with many difficult truths, but also boldly confronts society–in the form of the audience–along the way. It’s a full-on emotional journey, with every emotion laid bare. In the center of all of this action, and driving it is the absolutely stunning embodiment of the character by Theby-Quinn. She is supported ably by Patrick Siler’s excellent direction, as well as technical contributions from set and costume designer Laila Alvarado, lighting designer Joseph W. Clapper, sound designer Kareem Deanes, technical director Silas Coggeshall, and dialect coach Teresa Doggett. All these elements, from the minimalist set to the realistic costumes and evocative lighting and sound, help with establishing sense of place, all in support of Theby-Quinn’s remarkable work of becoming this character in such a relatable, immensely powerful and credible way. It’s a performance of sensitivity, humor, drama, tragedy, action, and reaction, introducing us to a character who is at once bold, confrontational, sympathetic, and profoundly human. It’s a first-rate performance by a consistently first-rate performer.
Iphigenia in Splott is a powerful return for Upstream. Due to the current COVID situation, the schedule is still somewhat variable, so you’ll need to check with Upstream online to make sure when or how you can see the show. Still, if you’re able to see it, I highly recommend it. It’s a tour-de-force performance of a truly fascinating work of theatre.
Jennifer Theby-Quinn
Photo by ProPhotoSTL.com
Upstream Theater
Upstream Theater is scheduled to present Iphigenia In Splott at the Marcelle Theatre until February 6, 2022