Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Based on Nobel Prize-winning author Olga Tokarczuk’s novel of the same name, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is a dream-like thriller that follows the reclusive Janina (Kathryn Hunter) and her acquaintances as they discover a series of murders that are seemingly linked to the wildlife of the area.
Directed by Simon McBurney, the production has an unnerving, surreal quality throughout which is bolstered by beautiful projections – which reflect Janina’s preoccupation with astrology – and immersive sound design. Together with a series of incredible performances from the cast, the plot builds to a climax which is perhaps the most intense experience I’ve had in a theatre.
The plot builds to a climax which is perhaps the most intense experience I’ve had in a theatre.
The tonal balance is astonishing, consistently dark and bleak but with comic punctuation which makes the spectacle an enjoyable watch without ever derailing the overall mood. Even with this, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is not an easy watch. The list of trigger warnings before the show is extensive, and the depictions of violence toward animals is graphic.
Kathryn Hunter’s performance is the crown jewel of the show.
Above all this though, Kathryn Hunter’s performance is the crown jewel of the show. To say that she embodies Janina doesn’t even begin to do it justice. The energy she brings to the role across the three-hour run time will blow you away, and makes the hefty run time pass in the blink of an eye. Striking the balance between ensuring the audience empathises with Janina whilst also being aware that she is an unreliable narrator is an almost impossible balancing act, but Hunter pulls it off with aplomb.
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is not an easy night at the theatre, but it will be one of the most rewarding you ever experience.
-Daniel Shipman
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead runs at The Lowry until Saturday 29 April 2023.