Blood, bruises and blood-thirsty betrayal; Electra at the Dream Factory

Playbox Theatre present Sophocle's Electra, performed at the Dream Factory, Warwick, from 6 - 8 November 2025. Directed by Emily Quash. Guest review by Emilia Danks-Smith.

Eve Hatz as Electra. Photo credit: Lucy Barriball

Electra. The girl whose world is torn apart as her family become infatuated with

revenge. She watches and waits, letting her rage feast on time until it’s her perfect

moment to pounce. And then, with her task complete, the cycle seemingly ended,

she leaves the story forever. But with that one chance to tell Electra’s long

overlooked narrative, Playbox’s cast of young people and their phenomenal director

Emily Quash formed a show that left an unforgettable mark: in blood, bruises and

blood-thirsty betrayal.

The play began in darkness, with only a potent prologue ringing in our ears,

explaining the conflicts leading up to the events of the story. Some of Playbox’s most

successful alumni provided the narration, including Sophie Turner, Ralph Davies and

Josh McGuire, adding a true sense of nostalgia to the Greek tales we all know so

well. They lead us to the present day, passing the baton to propel the narrative

forward instead to the Greek chorus. The theatre’s intimate in the round setting took

the form of Electra’s mind. This amplified how the chorus’ prying eyes and bitter

voices felt personally tormenting, sharing the weight of Electra’s inner turmoil with us

as the audience. We too could not escape.

Electra Poster

Electra (Eve Hatz) was utterly captivating, with the audience hanging onto every

calculating word, engrossed in the storm of trauma encircling her mind. She showed

us a young girl distraught in her own existence, but this did not undermine her

intelligence. She convinced us to join her in her undertaking, despite its brutality,

showing such talent through her sharp emotional changes. We saw a girl who,

despite all odds, fought to be the master of her fate.

Her camera was her accomplice, taking pictures to collect as evidence of her

mother's unrighteousness deeds, each click echoing memories behind her ghostly

eyes. Some of the most heart wrenching of Electra’s snapshots were those of her

and her brother Orestes in their youth (Izzy Hardus-Lameira and Beckett Mitchel).

They painted a true picture of how the blithe nature of childhood was nauseatingly

stained as her eyes streamed with tears and his poured with blood. Young Electra

watched on as her father Agamemnon (Jack Hobson) was slaughtered in his most

vulnerable state, with the illuminated bathtub that remained constantly present

onstage drawing attention to the terror written across his face. He was powerless to

the spraying water in which he writhed, and the choice to illustrate the turning point

of Electra’s perception of her mother in full, graphic detail was an indescribably

horrifying one.

Photo Credit: Lucy Barriball

The conventions of power were subverted, with Clytemnestra (Lucy Griffiths)

highlighting raw female power fostered in a sense of injustice, demanding that her

youngest daughter saw how her actions were imperative to right a wrong. And she

almost succeeded. Her excuse of maternal protection pleading us to view her as a

misunderstood figure. But as Electra’s allies come to the forefront of the story, we

were collectively rooting for Clytomnestra’s brutal demise.

Strophius (Sam Almond) brought Orestes (Conor Davis) back into the story, after

many years of seclusion, growing up in hiding until it was time to fulfil his violent

duties. Strophius had a voice of reason that was both wisened and confident but

endearing in its nurturing and paternal love for Orestes, providing the boy with the

care he never received from his mother. We noticed vulnerability within Orestes, as

he quickly revealed his hidden identity to Electra, highlighting the strong bonds that

still existed within their broken household, and how imperative it was that they held

each other close.

Electra’s other sibling Chrysothemis (Pendo Goma) brought light to the strength

which is founded in gentle feminine passion, completely juxtaposing the heroine. She

was true to herself and simply watched on as the others joined forces to avenge her

father, influencing the outcome only in reminding Electra of the possibilities their

future held together.

The most exhilarating part of the play was undoubtedly the murder of Clytemnestra,

as she was dragged like a weak, screaming child into the bathtub in which she

murdered her own husband. The cycle of paying for murder with murder was seen

yet again. The screams were deafening and blood stained every character, leaving

only her limp corpse lifeless on the ground. Each actor showed unbelievable

dedication and commitment, demonstrating physical capabilities like no other. We

too breathed a sigh as Electra and her cohorts slumped exhausted on the ground.

The cast thoroughly showed the unpredictable power founded in passion through

pushing the limits of their bodies, voices and creative minds. The standing ovation

from the audience could not have been more deserved, and the cast and crew have

really left a lasting legacy in the muddied footprints that stain the stage. For more details go to https://www.playboxtheatre.com/events/electra