Theatre Review: The Madness of Ajax
The Madness of Ajax
University of St Andrews, School of Classics
14/5/24 - 15/5/24
Directed by Mohit Agarwal and Jeremy Limbert
Produced by Michael Pagano and Callisto Lodwick
Written by Jeremy Limbert
Review by Noor Zohdy
Set sometime after the Iliad and before the fall of Troy, The Madness of Ajax, was an unexpected, hilariously irreverent staging of the story of the great Homeric heroes. With frequent breaks of the fourth-wall and witty-classics humour throughout, it was a wonderfully creative and very exciting production. The characters were somehow very much actors laughably staging a play that none of them could really take all that seriously and, at the same time, utterly, undeniably actual caricatures of their characters. I really did have a sense that the actual Obnoxileus (Parker Freeman) had (much to his dismay) been compelled to act in some ludicrous student production.
Stumbling on a twenty-first century stage, Odysseus (Cecily David) was just as we remember him ─ well nearly. Magnificently arrogant and wonderfully charming, Cecily David brought the creative reimagining of Odysseus vividly and comically to life. His contentious match, Ajax (Will Homes) had all the bitter fury one might expect of so great a warrior; yet, his earnest, deliberate exasperation made the dear confused Ajax all the more entertaining. Achilles’ (Sergio Castagnoli) unwavering and chaotic confidence was hilarious to watch. Among my favourite moments of the play was his parody of the epic simile. All the characters stand by, somewhat perplexed, as Achilles dashes across the stage, leaping and turning with true histrionic flair, describing with a great many clauses and bodies of water what he intends to do.
Parker Freeman, as a humorously irritable and occasionally rather passionate Obnoxileus, was fantastic. Thetis (Callisto Lodwick) was just the perfect balance of being magically charming and comically ridiculous. Agamemnon (Sofia Evans) made a brilliant satire of the deft and unwavering leader. Calchas (Mohit Agarwal), or as Agamemnon graciously proclaims him to be - ‘the narratorial convenient seer’ - was exemplary in his unhelpful and enigmatic manner. Tecmessa (Amelia Thompson) was brilliantly excessive and passionate in her protestations. Charlotte Rabiei and Layla Montague as two Trojans and later, two farmers, were wonderfully spirited and funny. Robbie Seddoh as Apollo and an Insurance Salesman (really) was really unforgettable and brought to the play some of its funnies moments.
All in all, the play was clever, creative, and truly funny. I must praise the student writer, Jeremy Limbert, as he made the experience of one play feel like an exciting whirlwind of humour, parody, and perfect irony. It was the perfect afternoon for any classics fan. Indeed, as I left, I remember thinking to myself I really do believe that the entire band of Iliadic heroes, and indeed, Homer himself, would have had a splendid time.
