VAULT is London's new three-week arts festival of theatre, film
and music, set in a never-before seen part of the Old Vic
Tunnels. This underground labyrinth will be home to the
award-winning Silent Opera, Kindle Theatre's The Furies, a film
programme curated by Hammer and the Flicker Club, and many more
undiscovered gems. VAULT is a ground-breaking arts event, crossing
boundaries in a vibrant, hip and innovative way.
Kindle is an all-female theatre company based in
Birmingham. They've been making theatre for nearly seven
years, all over the place: in caves, glass factories, churches,
cinemas and now, in the dank and dark tunnels of the Old Vic, which
is perfect for their most recent show The Furies.
The Furies is Kindle at full force; loud, brazen, unforgiving
and passionate. It uses the sweat and arrogance of the rock
gig format to tell the story of Clytemnestra, who in ancient Greek
myth is wronged by Agamemnon. He rapes her, kills her son and
husband, and then leaves for war, only to return with a mistress,
Cassandra. In the myth, Clytemnestra, with help from the Furies
(spirits of vengeance), seeks revenge and kills Agamemnon while he
is bathing, and the Furies are satisfied that justice has been
done.
Kindle are interested in fury as a rare but liberating emotion,
and there is something in Clytemnestra's story that rings true for
every woman in the audience - love as pain, love as desire, love as
power, love as envy, the destructive nature of love.
The Furies are presented as three very different women; one
curvaceous and operatic, one a luscious snake-like blonde in silver
hotpants, and one an androgynous Bowie-esque creature with a deep
voice. Kindle wanted to challenge what theatre can do for its
audience, and what they could do as female performers reinventing
themselves as heavy metal/rock stars. The music is all original,
written and arranged by Kindle and their collaborators, and the
effect is a knowingly dramatic, liberating and fun theatrical event
for anyone who loves to let it all out.
Male audience members tend to be a little disturbed by the
experience, but are thrilled by it too, and women can't get enough
of it!
To book tickets to see Kindle Theatre's The Furiesor any
of the other events at VAULT, visit www.thevaultfestival.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bianca Harvey
