Writer: Frankie Jean
Director: Jessica Whiley
Hell Hath No Fury is a stylish mixture of Greek myth and modern-day judicial systems. If some liberties have been taken with the mythology – what, for instance, has Polynices ever done to earn such a bad rap? – this is still a stirring play about making sure that men who are violent towards women are punished for their crimes. Featuring some stunning dance sections and some pulsing music, Frankie Jean’s 70-minute play is one of the best shows of Camden Fringe’s first week.
Jean’s Furies are like superheroes who protect women throughout history. Their mission is to wreak revenge on men who are guilty of domestic abuse. There are two sets of Furies here. Alecto, Megaera and Tisiphone are the Greeks’ original Furies engaged in battle with Polynices, here deemed the worst of all men and now, after his death, turned into a demi-god by Zeus and his crew. They bind their breasts to demonstrate that “we are more than fat upon our chests”. The other set of Furies exists in our own time as lawyers Ali, Meg, and Tia, who are determined to bring serial abuser Paul Cane to justice.
However, both sets of Furies are hampered in their quests by women who enable the perpetrators of misogynistic crimes. Polynices is protected by the goddess Metis, while his equivalent in the present day is protected by his sister, a Commander in the London Met. The Furies will have to bring down these women too.
Marrying together these two stories is an interesting conceit, and with the use of costumes and light, the three actors ensure that the audience always knows which time period is being performed. However, the choice to put Paul Cane’s sister in the dock, rather than Paul Cane himself, seems as if we are to blame a woman for a man’s crimes. Jean is aware of this and allows Tia to voice how uncomfortable she is with this procedure, interrogating a woman as if she has done wrong. Nevertheless, Tia’s remarks are brushed aside too quickly.
This misjudgement is perhaps the only mistake in Hell Hath No Fury. Isabella Garland’s choreography is fierce and exciting while Konnie Kendall’s music is evocative and thrilling, even if it is dialled up too high when the actors are talking, making it difficult to hear their lines. Ciara Moss’s lights are spot-on, Amber Christen’s costume design is inventive, and Jessica Whiley’s direction is flawless. Even though the play is produced by an all-female theatre company, the voices of Polynices and Cane would be more dramatic if spoken by a male actor.
Jean plays Megaera and Meg with towering strength and is finely supported by Nisha Emich as Alecto and Ali, and Cynthia Okimiji, who is Tisiphone and Tia. The three actors are incredibly good, especially in the visceral fight sequences with Polynices. This is Jean’s debut play, and it is magnificent.
Runs until 8 August 2026
Camden Fringe 2026 runs until 30 August
