1797: The Mariner’s Revenge – Old Royal Naval College, London

A review of the immersive and unusual theatrical production 1797: The Mariner’s Revenge, in the attic of the Admiral’s House at the Old Royal Naval College. What a setting, what a fun bit of theatre from Tramshed and HistoryRiot.

1797: The Mariner’s Revenge

It’s one of those things where I’m not even sure where I saw the listing. I’m probably on the Old Royal Naval College mailing list after seeing Gaia a while ago. But anyway, when I saw there was a special theatrical production in rooms not normally open to visitors, and that there were puppets involved, I couldn’t resist!

1797: The Mariner’s Revenge is a co-production by HistoryRiot and Tramshed. The former is a ‘new historical performance collective’ who want to connect people with the UK’s past. The latter is a Woolwich-based theatre company and arts hub. Together they have made something that brings history to life in funny, exuberant and sometimes extreme ways.

And the setting is the final piece in the puzzle. The Admiral’s House is part of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, on the banks of the Thames. It is normally available for hire, rather than open to the public. But as part of this evening, you have up to an hour to wander around with a cocktail before the play begins. We took a print-out of the artworks on display and had a good nose around. The play itself takes place in the attic rooms – a unique setting even for a historic house. It’s a promenade performance, meaning you follow the actors from room to room as the story unfolds. A very unique way to experience a historic space.

Who Is The Mariner? And What’s His Revenge?

Well, like many reviews, I’m not going to spoil it in case you want to see it for yourself. But I can set the scene a little. It’s 1797, so not quite the Napoleonic Wars but building up to them. Nelson is referenced a couple of times. And Britain’s Navy is strong. A big navy also means a lot of sailors, of course, and things didn’t end well for all of them. So from 1692 there had been a home for retired sailors with an infirmary: Greenwich Hospital.

Our Mariner is one such sailor. He’s suffering from some sort of illness after a long and traumatic voyage. In fact – in the same way I felt like I was a sort of ghost when watching The Burnt City down the river in Woolwich, here I definitely felt like the audience were collectively the Mariner’s fever dream. A fever dream which also involves various manifestations of an albatross. I thought it was going to be more like The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, based on the fact that I knew there was a mariner and an albatross, but the story is rather different indeed.

It’s really a lot of fun. Be warned, though, audience participation is only optional in the sense that you can decline: you will probably be prompted to join in. The small cast of eight includes Norma Butikofer showing off dramatic and comic range in multiple roles, and Mark Knightley (also one of the writers) as the Mariner. Does he get his revenge? You will have to see it for yourself. The Salterton Arts Review’s tip is to see the first show of the evening so you have the place to yourself with no sounds from the attic while you’re exploring and sipping your signature cocktail.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 3.5/5

1797: The Mariner’s Revenge on until 12 November 2022