ION, by Euripides

When I was told that I would have to review a greek tragedy, the thought didn't exactly fill me with glee. I thought it would be long, dull and overly complex.

But Ion, directed by Joanna Dirmikis of Magdalen, is no average greek production. It is a completely new adaptation of Euripides' play, which juxtaposes the tourism of Greece present and the myth of Greece past. The play invites us to "cross the boundary between reality and illusion". It combines the harsh tragedy of infertility, relevant to any time, (Marie Louise Crawley delivering a formidable performance as Creissa, managing to portray the anguish of loosing a child quite perfectly), with the mysticism of Greek culture.

The costumes are by Adonis, a leading London costume designer, while the lighting and sound literally transport you to another world: the voices of the all-female Chorus, led by Laura Le Roy, are particularly delightful. So if you fancy taking a break form Oxford, travelling without moving so to speak, get down to the Old Fire Station this week. You're not likely to see another play like this in Oxford for some time.

Jayne McGlynn, Agnes Abosi 7 / 6 / 00