It is truly magical how in the space of just over an hour, one piece of storytelling can break one’s heart and then mend it again, surrounding it with light. HELIOS has not broken the mould, it has discarded the concept entirely.
From the moment I walked in I knew that this show was going to be something different. The set itself was beautiful: the use of the standing lights, arranged around the stage gave the room a warm glow, which combined with the atmospheric music made it feel otherworldly, as though we had all entered an alternate dimension hallowed in light.
I really loved the interactive aspect to the show where members of the audience were encouraged to join in and read for Michael Dale, and I feel that including the audience really added to the immersive experience that is HELIOS.
This story is beautifully told, accurate to the original myth, whilst still retaining originality and telling its own tale. The balance of raw emotion and clever, genuine humour kept HELIOS from feeling too much like a tragedy, and more like a real person’s experience.
HELIOS is unpredictable in the best way possible, as our protagonist Phaeton takes on the challenge of growing up and processing grief. Every twist and turn of the plot surprised me, left me reeling, and had none of the cheap predictability of most retellings.
Every word was spoken with so much real emotion and honesty that I completely forgot I was watching a work of fiction and not there, experiencing Phaeton’s story in real time, seeing and hearing it all; there was something beautifully truthful about it, something earnest that really captured my heart.
This story is intensely poignant and touching. Phaeton is messy – as are his life and his relationships – in an endearing way. There were many moments during HELIOS, especially towards the end, where I wanted to cry and even did, hit with the sweet sadness of it all. Possibly one of the best endings I have ever seen in a stage production, tragic and heartbreaking that hurt in such a wonderful way.
HELIOS is like nothing I have ever watched before. It is wise, witty, and heartwarming, representing so many perspectives in an honest and authentic way. Like it’s namesake myth, HELIOS shines bright.
Review by Olivia Padina
