Sophie Melville & Rachel O’Riordan reunite for IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT at Lyric Hammersmith

Photo credit: Jennifer McCord

Lyric Hammersmith Theatre have announced the return of Gary Owen’s critically acclaimed Iphigenia in Splott, running at the venue from 26 September-22 October.

Directed by the Lyric’s Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan, Sophie Melville will reprise her role as Effie in the monodrama for which she won a The Stage Award for Acting Excellence and an Evening Standard Award nomination for Best Actress.

Stumbling down the street drunk at 11.30am Effie is the kind of girl you avoid making eye contact with. You think you know her, but maybe you don't know the half of it.

Effie's life is a mess of drink, drugs and drama every night, and a hangover worse than death the next day - till one night gives her the chance to be something more.

Rachel O’Riordan said: “This play is a call to arms and its relevance now is sharper than ever before. It delves into austerity and cuts; are we colluding as a society where some people get to live and others get to survive? What this play does so beautifully is give voice to something that we can all easily ignore. It gives a platform to the voice of people who are demonised by society and are not given the opportunities in life to thrive. Iphigenia or ‘Effie’ as she is called in the play is extraordinary. Yet, her life can be easily seen as less valuable and what this play does is make her the hero.

“For me, it felt important to bring this work back. Theatre’s role is to showcase us as a society: why we are here and how we got here. It’s not been staged in a proscenium arch theatre before and on our stage, it will play its biggest house ever.

“The reaction to this play, from Berlin to Liverpool, has always been profoundly visceral which is rooted in our connection to Sophie’s incredible performance, Hayley’s dynamic design and Gary’s ferocious story. To me, as a director, and as an Artistic Director that immediate audience reaction is a complete joy. We can recognise truth when we see it and Iphigenia’s story hits you in the heart and in your gut.”

The production features design by Hayley Grindle, with lighting by Rachel Mortimer, and sound by Sam Jones.

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