Waiting for Apollo

There is experimental theatre, plays that dip their feet in the waters of the surreal and use postmodernist ways of storytelling to modernise old myths and fables in order to bring them to a modern audience. Then there are also other plays that try to do this by being trite, opportunistic, confusing, and just try to be quirky and funny without accomplishing either. Waiting for Apollo is definitely falls into the latter category.
Trying too hard to be ’something different’ (for the sake of it, to the detriment of the actual story), they believe that throwing random word-play and modern quips, while screaming and overacting makes for enthralling viewing. They could not be more wrong.
The narrative tries to tell the simple story of Helena, Electra, Apollo and other ancient Greek gods and semi-gods, but they have transported it to modern times. There’s a television show presenter, an Academy Awards ceremony… and during the whole hour it is not easy to follow just what’s going on.
At times you see some promise of quality (like at the start, when all performers are already on stage while the audience take their seats), but this is quickly erased, and an array of mediocre scenes ensue. It’s a real pity since the cast do have talent, and could truly shine in better productions. All in all, not just one to miss, but one to never talk about again.

1/5

Adrian G. Velazquez