Chariots of Fire

The Crucible was alight with the flame of glory on Thursday night as Mike Bartlett’s stunning new adaptation of the prestigious classic ‘Chariots of Fire’ stormed into town. Set between 1919 and 1924, this timeless tale is packed full of heart, soul and passion as it retells the story of the 1924 Olympic games in Paris. Originally written in 1981 as a historical sports film, ‘Chariots of Fire’ was adapted into a stage production in 2012 to celebrate the launch of the 2012 London Olympics. Bartlett has taken up the baton of this historical epic to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the 1924 Paris Olympic games and the results are just as grand as the colossal games themselves.

What makes ‘Chariots of Fire’ so captivating and engrossing is the all encompassing spirt of humanity that weaves throughout the story and is the bedrock behind every twist and turn throughout the evening’s performance. Despite being a relatively long production, roughly two hours and thirty minutes with an interval halfway through, the show works incredibly hard to get audience members invested in the leading characters from the very beginning. By showcasing the two main characters human spirit and their personal struggles, ‘Chariots of Fire’ is able to turn its story into more than just a tale of sporting glory. It becomes a tale of hope, determination, resilience and perseverance. It is incredibly moving to see the level of dedication that the characters involved have for their talents and skills and the depth of meaning that they ascribe to showcasing them.

Whilst the originally story showcases all of these things, the two leading actors really do take it to new captivating and immersive levels in Bartlett’s adaptation. Michael Wallace (Macbeth, Sasquatch) stars as Eric Liddell, a Scottish runner who is defined by his absolute devotion to God, and is never anything other than stunning as he captures Liddell with such effortless ease. Wallace really takes the audience on a journey throughout his performance and it’s inspiring to watch somebody embody not just a character but an entire personality complete with ideals and convictions so effectively. Adam Bregman (The Effects of Lying, Tolkien) puts in a similarly spectacular and humanising performance too as English runner Harold Abrahams. Faced with prejudice around his Jewish faith, Bregman does a fantastic job of encapsulating the pain and confusion that Abrahams feels and finds the perfect balance between sheer passion and determination and stubbornness of character that really serves the character. It’s hard to not be moved when you combine these fantastic performances with the meticulous levels of craft and attention for detail in the overall production. The small production details, from the outstanding running scenes to the effective set design, so much care has been put into this performance. It is testament to this that it often feels even more exciting to watch than the actual Olympic games itself!

Catch ‘Chariots of Fire’ at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre until closing night on Saturday 27th July.