Oh Zeus!
- Steve Griffiths
- 7 minutes ago
- 3 min read
 John Nicholson & Le Navet Bete (Matt Freeman, Nick Bunt, Al Dunn)
Le Navet Bete
Lowry, Salford
July 28-August 1, 2026; 2hrs 30 mins
(also at Dukes, Lancaster, September 15-19; Theatre Royal, Newcastle, April 9,10, 2027; Harrogate Theatre, May 13-15, and other venues nationwide)
Greek is all the rage in the arts at the moment. Nolan’s Odyssey in cinemas ("All gimmicky, no sex no jokes"). Elektra at the National, all sold out; the Oresteia at London's Bridge Theatre - another expensive train ride and £100 for a ticket away; and so on.
Far better to go and see the "original" Greeks in Oh Zeus! at the Lowry for a reasonable price and with a view of Salford docks in the sun to die for.
Directed, as always, by John Nicholson, supported by Katie Villa, this is the sixth visit to the Lowry by Le Navet Bete.
When Olympus is threatened by the marriage of Zeus’s daughter Hebe to a mere mortal, the king of the Gods hatches a plan to derail the wedding. The trio of actors - Matt Freeman, Nick Bunt and Al Dunn - play a cast of about 40 through costume changes too numerous to count in this mythical farce through Ancient Greece, the Underworld and back; at the final curtain they probably need a lie down in a darkened room, so physically draining seems the action. Think the best pantomime you have ever seen, without the drag of a star name.
Bunt, Dunn and Freeman work as a seamless singularity. It's almost impossible to single one out for praise as they need each other, feed off each other, to ensure the very physical comedy works effectively. Think of the greatest silent comedians - Buster Keaton, say - who planned their routines to perfection. I winced at some of the pratfalls, but all the actors survived to receive an ecstatic and well deserved reception at the end.
Some may feel that a lack of a classical education is a bit of a handicap when all the Greek gods are on display. As someone who doesn’t know his Ares from his Poseidon, I can say don’t worry. All will be explained. The idea of the Chorus is rapidly covered and their Cerberus proves that you should never try to act with children or animals. As for the centaur, its not quite an elephant on the stage, but it makes its presence felt. As for children, who would have thought that throwing babies - not real ones - into the audience could be such fun.
A special mention for one audience member, Alan, who took up the challenge to appear alongside with such superb comedians and didn’t let us down, winning a special round of applause at the end. Which illustrates why its such fun: the team knows exactly how far to go and goes right there.
The scenery and costume designer is another who rarely gets a mention. Fi Russell creates a set which can function as Hades, Olympus and the Hotel Krapios. Her costume designs allow the cast to be the Furies and then waiters in the blink of an eye, and her design for Hera is one Stella McCartney would have been proud to create.
Be prepared to come out laughing, exhilarated and not a little amazed that the ancient Greey gods knew about hard rock and Black Sabbath.
More info and tickets here
