Last night I was invited to come and review Odyssey ’84 at the Sherman Theatre.

The theatre’s latest production is a stunning, compelling depiction of the miners strike in 1984, when thousands of workers came together to stand against the British Government. Inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, we follow the John O’Donnell, portrayed by Rhodri Meilir, who is quickly swept up into the fight, taking him around the world and away from his wife Penny, portrayed by Sara Gregory. 

In this production we see two sides of the fight for the workers. Those who charged to the front lines and those who were stayed to hold up their community. Fracturing solidarity, the trials of perseverance, the drive of the desperate, this epic production will stay with you for a long time after the final curtain falls.

The careful weaving of heartfelt, powerful moments with hilarious, sharp quips brought this show to a new level. The audience never knew what was coming next, whether you laugh or cry, you won’t be able to take your eyes away.

Visually this show is incredible! The careful simplicity of the costumes, paired with the harsh, rugged background, allowed each scene to flow seamlessly into the next. Alongside the striking lighting design and 80s soundtrack, it gave us the perfect setting for the audience to be swept up in this emotional rollercoaster. 

This cast was nothing short of spectacular! Rhodri Meilir as John O’Donnell, Sion Pritchard as Billy Lewis and Dean Rehman as Dai Morgan are exceptional. The range of depth and complexity they displayed through their characters was powerful to watch. And Sarah Gregory as John’s wife Penny gave us a moving performance that had us laughing and crying along with her. And the rest of the cast Mattthew Bulgo, François Pandolfo, Dean Rehman and Lisa Zahra wowed us with their performance.

This is a sensational theatre experience that is not to be missed. 

Tim Price’s Odyssey ’84 will be at the Sherman Theatre until the 26th October and tickets are selling out fast so get yours now!

And keep up to date on what’s going on at the Sherman Theatre on their website, Facebook and Instagram.

All photo credits to Mark Douet