Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

© ALEX BRENNER

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, image from Barbican Theatre

A great show for students devising or designing theatre

Complicité’s new adaptation of Olga Tokarczuk’s mysterious novel is a thrilling story that prompts its audience to take a long hard look at ourselves and our crimes against nature.

Set in a remote part of Poland, the piece follows Janina Duszejko (Kathryn Hunter), an ageing woman with a fierce passion for animals, as she navigates a series of murders in her community. Hunter’s skilled storytelling drives the piece – her rich, guttural tone conveying a sense of raw power that feels akin to Mother Nature. Amid the sense of foreboding that underlines the piece, her droll reflections on her life and companions provide welcome moments of relief and laughter.

Hunter is supported by a strong cast who bring this rural community to life with comedic yet truthful characterisation. They are a slick ensemble, often cloaked in black puffers, moving together as threatening mass that highlights the suggestion of occult forces at work. The physical storytelling is impactful, using relatively simple puppetry and movement executed at the highest level to compliment Hunter’s narration.

The technical design is carefully put together to compliment the story, using a mix of subtle and striking projection to conjure different locations and explore Janina’s thought process. A dark underscore of otherworldly sounds and moody lighting design add to the air of mystery, while sporadic flashes of light reflecting against the glass set piece give the audience a mirror image of themselves – and, slightly distractingly, the teleprompters. We are left to ponder our position as witnesses or even abettors to these crimes against nature.

In his programme notes, McBurney calls the audience to action, highlighting the crime of ecocide. Anger, pain, confusion and loss are at the heart of this piece, perpetuating his stark message that time is running out for us to reconnect to the natural world and turn things around.

At three hours, the show is long – and ten minutes could comfortably be shaved off without losing anything too substantial. There’s also an odd foray into Catholicism that feels unnecessary but overall, it’s a gripping story that leaves one with plenty to think about.

Educationally, this is a great show for students devising or designing theatre. From tight ensemble work to innovative technical design, this production shows Complicité at its best as master storytellers. The company also provides an educational resource pack to accompany the piece and support students and educators.