Poet Kae Tempest’s work for the National Theatre is their (Tempest’s) version  of Sophocles’s lesser known tragedy Philoctetes here renamed Paradise.

The essence of Greek tragedy is a debatable balance between right and wrong.  In Sophocles’ Philoctetes it is the rights of an individual as opposed to the greater good, often with the gods intervening to provide direction.  In the same way as to why Clytemnestra could not forgive the sacrifice of her daughter Iphigenia to provide the Greek fleet with a favourable wind, the issue in Philoctetes is whether Neoptolemus (Gloria Obianyo) should lie, breaking a code of honour, in order to secure Philoctetes (Lesley Sharp) and his bow’s return to the war against Troy to fulfil the prophecy. 

When you start to look at Sophocles’ plot in detail, there are enough issues to constitute a moral maze.  At the death of Heracles, his friend Philoctetes was the only one to come forward to light the funeral pyre.  In return Philoctetes was given Heracles’ magical bow and arrows.  In the middle of the Trojan wars which went on for decades, Philoctetes was bitten by a snake and his leg turned rancid.   The smell was so dreadful and noxious to the other sailors and soldiers that Odysseus abandoned Philoctetes on the island of Lemnos and set sail without him.  Ten years later Odysseus returns and this is where Kae Tempest’s play begins. 

The soundscape is of the ocean waves crashing on the beach with the distant beat of war drums.  A group of New Age looking women are assembled on the beach.  They talk of the helicopters and the wind. 

The Chorus here speak individually which helps clarity and Aunty (the musician ESKA) provides some song as is traditional.  They exchange herbal recipes and advice on taking turmeric with green peppercorns and Aloe Vera. 

We’re told that this island was once a city but was destroyed by war.

Rae Smith’s beach set is dominated by driftwood and twin structures, one the cave, the other the cliff.  They have tried to leave many times but they just can’t get the visas.  Aunty, who is the one with visionary powers, foresees two strangers coming. 

Odysseus (a convincing Anastasia Hille with a British military officer’s accent) arrives with a younger soldier Neoptolemus (Gloria Obianyo) and explains that they are here to fulfil a prophecy.  Odysseus in camouflage uniform and with a manly gait explains that they need Heracles’ bow in order to win the war.  Neoptolemus is the son of the famous warrior Achilles and the ruse is that he will have to pretend to Philoctetes that he hates Odysseus.  This is to trick him to agree to leave the island and join the vessel sailing towards Troy.