Express & Star

Dido Queen of Carthage, Swan Theatre, Stratford - review

Chipo Chung plays the doomed Queen Dido in Christopher Marlowe's play of love and betrayal. This is the African actor's first season at Stratford and it must not be her last.

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Dido, Queen of Carthage production. Photos by: Topher McGrillis

Chung is simply terrific, flashing from mood to extreme mood as a drug-induced love affair with Aeneas, a refugee from the Trojan war, takes over her senses. Today she is a memorable Dido. She has the promise, in RSC seasons to come, of being a great Cleopatra and a truly scary Lady Macbeth.

Kimberley Sykes directs this busy, noisy show on a bare stage sprinkled with sand. Although the costumes are classical, the music is raucous jazz and Cupid's (Ben Goffe) love darts are hypodermics.

Sandy Grierson is a troubled, passionate Aeneas torn between love for Dido and his duty - as dictated by the gods - and is totally in control of some long and intricate speeches.

It all ends in tears with Dido setting fire to herself. With not a flicker of real flame on the stage, Miss Chung is consumed, crumpling into a most convincingly charred cadaver - an excellent illusion.

Dido, Queen of Carthage is at Stratford until October 28