Chariots of Fire – Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Adaptor: Mike Bartlett

Directed by: Robert Hastie

This is a stunning and spectacular adaptation of the iconic 1981 film, which tells the extraordinary true and inspiring story of the 1924 Paris Olympics and the amazing feats of Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. And it couldn’t have come at a better time with the 2024 Olympics starting in Paris later this month. The two-and-a-half-hour running time confronts (pardon the pun) as the audience is transported back to 1923/24 and all the events leading up to and including the Paris Olympics. The entire Company is extremely talented and appropriately athletic, and all are convincing in their various roles. There is no weak link between them. Anyone who grew up with the classic film and all the iconic images it conjures need not worry about how it might work on stage. You will not be disappointed and you will be moved by an exciting evening of entertainment.

The Crucible stage was rarely used in this regard. Set and costume designer Ben Stones did a great job making full use of the propulsion stage to create contrasting settings in Cambridge, Scotland and Paris, with additional scenes set in a train station and boarding a ship. Every scene is staged efficiently and effortlessly and all the costumes are stunning to behold. The scene where Abrahams and Andrew Lindsay (Benjamin Westerby) race in Cambridge makes full use of the theatre’s multiple exits and entrances as they disappear at one end and reappear at the other to great effect. The overall race and training scenes are presented making full use of the revolving stage, lighting and slow motion to recreate all the tension and excitement of Olympic glory.

Of course this story ultimately depends for its success on the effectiveness of the two leads and Adam Bregman (Abrahams) and Michael Wallace (Liddell) do not disappoint. Both play their roles to perfection, Bregman as the talented and driven athlete determined to be the best in his field and Wallace as the principled Christian missionary who will not compromise his faith and compete on Sunday, thereby forfeiting his chance for Olympic glory in the 100 meters as heats are scheduled for this day. The Jewish Abrahams has to deal with anti-Semitism and prejudice in his life, while Liddell sometimes struggles with wanting to do the right thing by his faith and glorify God with his talent as a runner. It’s really interesting to see how times have changed over the last 100 years with the whole approach to athletics and competition in sports in general. Nowadays, the emphasis is on professional coaching, sports psychology and not leaving anything to chance in the pursuit of victory, whereas back then it was all practically amateur, with coaches and trainers who were considered “professionals” even prohibited to get involved. The relationship between Abrahams and Sam Mussabini (Ben Kingsley lookalike Waleed Elgadi) was almost responsible for preventing Abrahams from being able to compete.

The whole company is universally good, and all really deserve a mention by name. Space precludes it, but the two senior members of the cast, Richard Cant and Mark Lockyer, should be congratulated for their portrayals in a number of roles. And what about that memorable Vangelis theme song, which for most encapsulates everything there is to say about Chariots of fire? Not to worry as he memorably appears in the closing scene and ensures a standing ovation from an appreciative audience and sends them home with that song firmly playing in their head.

Runs until Saturday 27 July 2024