Ragnarok Review: Insuffolk.com

Fiery drama, family entertainment and authentic folklore: Eastern Angles' Ragnarok - Doom of the Gods is one of the company's most ambitious projects to date where they breathe vivid new life into ancient Norse legends, staged in a re-invented aircraft testing hangar.

These Norse myths travelled with the Scandinavian tribes as they made their way across Europe, arriving in East Anglia in the 9th century. Ragnarok was the battle between gods and the giants that would mark their world's end.

I've always had more sympathy with the polytheistic belief in multiple gods over a single deity, maybe because their variety includes so many human foibles and appetites with lust, jealousy and duplicity prominent among them.

That's the case with the Northern Gods as conceived here by Charles Way: arrogant All-father Odin (Antony Gabriel), loyal wife Frigga (Fiona Putnam) and Loki, Thor and Baldr as the brains, brawn and conscience of this dysfunctional family respectively; adopted daughter Freya (Gracy Goldman) adds bold eroticism to an explosive mix. The Corleones or Sopranos would feel right at home in this world.

Odin is a graduate of the King Lear school of parenting using divide and rule tactics to uphold his patriarchy. This has mixed results in a complex relationship with witty stepson and shape-shifter, Loki (Oliver Hoare).

At times charismatic Loki seems to be his father's Chosen One but he turns out not to be the Messiah, just a very naughty boy.

The Gods' endless cycle 0f conflict evoked the First World War in its centenary year. Odin speaks of a first war being the last war, perhaps a nod to the infamous claim (coined by HG Wells) that WWI would be ‘the war to end all wars'.

He is the autocratic General more concerned with glory than suffering, Thor (Theo Ogundipe) the unquestioning executioner and Baldr (Tom McCall) the quiet voice of reconciliation, mocked by the others for whom peace is banal. Easy to say when you're immortal!

Ragnarok is an exemplary company production where the talents of the lighting, sound, set and costume designers and puppeteers merit equal billing with those of the fine actors. All concerned made imaginative use of the Hush House with the exhaust tunnel employed for especially stunning results at the end of Act One.

(Take a jumper or coat to Ragnarok as the Hush House felt chilly later in the evening. Or could its length have done with a slight trim?)

As computer generated visuals come to dominate film-making it was inspiring to see how an audience of mixed ages can still be captivated by more home-spun live theatrical effects when applied with conviction and skill.

Frequent humour connects Ragnarok to the present day whenever it threatens to wander too far into pure fantasy. Anyone who's been charged an arm and a leg by their builder will smile ruefully at the Mason (Josh Elwell) whose invoice includes the sun and the moon.

Ragnarok has been several years in the planning and its challenging scale and very successful execution is testament to how far Eastern Angles have come in their three-decade history. And if this was a cinematic CGI spectacular they'd be planning the sequel already.

Doug Coombes