Even for Londoners already sick of the Games, this is
one event you won’t want to miss. Performed
throughout the London Olympic season, this theatrical production of the Oscar
winning film couldn’t be more timely as a celebration of England and the
Olympics.
Under the direction of Edward Hall, the Gielgud
Theatre is transformed into an Olympic stadium, a running track extending out
into the audience who are sat in the round.
It’s an immersive, visceral experience and the sheer stamina and power
of the actors running on the track is tangible.
The play follows the plot of the film – the true to
life story of athletes Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams in their pursuit to
race at the 1924 Paris Olympics. Both
men triumphed in the face of adversity, not only in winning their respective
races by beating the favoured competition, but in staying true to their
beliefs. Liddell is a devout Christian
who, on arriving in Paris, refuses to abandon his religious beliefs and compete
on a Sunday, the day of Sabbath. Abrahams
refuses to see his Jewish faith as a hindrance during his rise to fame in the
Christian (and sometimes anti-Semitic) world of Cambridge University. Although Hall has heightened the religious
aspects, they are not overblown but metaphorical. For Liddell especially, the purity of running
allows him to feel “God’s pleasure” – reach Nirvana or simply relish being
alive. The narrative explores notions of
achievement and the honour of immortality – universal themes that have ensured
the enduring fascination in this story.
Nothing exemplifies the glorious feeling of simply
being alive more than Vangelis’s euphoric film score, also utilised for the
play. Chariots of Fire wouldn’t be the same without this iconic music: it
alone is enough to bring a tear to your eye and shivers down your spine. Thankfully, its use here avoids feeling
hackneyed. The familiar piano melody
accompanies Scott Ambler’s mesmerising choreography in a magnificent display of
athleticism. Replicating a hundred metre
dash on stage may seem like an impossible task, but with cleverly choreographed
movement making use of the central revolving stage, Chariots of Fire becomes a real spectacle that successfully captures
the excitement of the race. Waiting for
the starting gun, the tension is palpable – a remarkable feat considering we
all know the outcome.
The play also works as an English period drama. This is a very British piece of theatre, not
only in its celebration of English sporting success (admittedly a rarity) and
its context of English University life, but in the use of Scottish dancing, a marching
band after the interval (led amusingly by Simon Slater), and excerpts of Gilbert
and Sullivan songs. As such, it’s a perfect
theatrical accompaniment to this year’s Games, whilst the hardships these
athletes face makes an interesting contrast to modern competitors in today’s
more liberal society.
Mike Bartlett’s script is full of charm and surprisingly
witty, performed wonderfully by the cast.
James McArdle and Jack Lowden shine as the confident, determined
Abrahams and kind-hearted, sportsmanlike Liddell but this really is an
outstanding team GB effort, acted with likeable naturalism and sung with joy. The various accents were flawless, Savannah
Stevenson sang with a delicate soprano, and Nickolas Grace was hilarious in a variety of roles.
If you only see one race this summer, make sure it’s
this one.
5/5
Watch: Chariots of Fire runs until November. For more information, see the play website.
Review written for, and ticket courtesy of, Thoroughly Modern Milly.