Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead – Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

Writer: Olga Tokarczuk

Director: Simon McBurney

Janina Duszejko is an environmentalist, avid astrologer and passionate translator of William Blake, living in a remote community in the mountains of Poland, not far from the Czech border. Deep into the depths of one winter a member of the local hunting club dies, and then another, in increasingly mysterious circumstances. She’s been watching the animals who share the isolated plateau with the villagers – are they starting to act strangely or is she imagining it? When she does the horoscope for each of the victims, it’s almost as though the manner of their deaths could have been predicted – but, as the police believe, that’s all nonsense isn’t it?

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is based on Olga Tokarczuk’s acclaimed novel and is the latest in a series of Complicité projects that address the destruction of the planet. When the novel came out in Poland it was seen as controversial by some, with the author being labelled an “eco-terrorist” and “national traitor” by the right wing press; now we have a chance to see the what they took so much exception to in what is the first adaptation of Tokarczuk’s work for the UK stage.

Kathryn Hunter gives an outstanding performance as Janina. Acting as narrator and participant in the drama that unfolds she delivers what is practically a monologue that lasts the length of the play. So many words and there’s hardly a fault – once or twice she may fluff a line, but immediately corrects it and continues. It’s a fearless masterclass in the art of storytelling that keeps the audience engaged throughout. That’s no mean feat because the play is long – too long in fact, coming in at three hours and in need of some editing to bring it down to a more manageable length. Supporting Hunter is a strong cast of ten covering the roles of others in the community and beyond.

Director Simon McBurney believes in challenging the boundaries of what theatre is and should be, and this is a fine example of his work. The fourth wall is non-existent – in fact for part of the performance the house lights are on, and it’s not dissimilar to being in a lecture room. There is a microphone centre stage with is used to deliver the narration, which Janina’s friend Boros asks to borrow at one point so he can start on his own life story. There are wooden chairs, and a glass wall at the back, and that is pretty much it for Rae Smith’s set design – yet it works sublimely well. It’s a real showpiece for what a good team of technical creatives can do to make a production with Paule Constable’s lighting, Dick Straker’s video design and Christopher Shutt’s sound all combining to give us something special. The cast use their arms to create antlers, visible largely due to the shadows they cast. A seemingly opaque wall becomes transparent and we can see the action beyond. An interior changes before our eyes into a forest at night, with looming trees and a star-studded sky appearing as if from nowhere. Superb stuff.

It’s a production that will make you question your own beliefs – if it’s OK to shoot a deer, or kill a fox – “we’re within the law”, they say – they why not a pet dog? It doesn’t shy away from shining a light on those in positions of power either, with not only the members of the hunting club but also politicians and even the church coming in for criticism for their roles. Part whodunnit, part black comedy, it challenges us to consider our role in the environment with warnings of the consequences if we abuse our position.

Runs until: 22 April 2023 and on tour