The Gate Theatre will commence its 2020 Power and Freedom season with Medea, a contemporary retelling of the Euripidian tragedy by Kate Mulvany and Anne-Louise Sarks and directed by Oonagh Murphy.
Many students will be familiar with the classic Greek story of the Golden Fleece and Jason’s quest to retrieve it. In the story, Jacob’s wife Medea is instrumental in helping her husband complete his quest, which ultimately earns him a place on the throne. Euripides’s classic tragedy Medea tells the story of Jason’s jilted wife, who takes revenge on her unfaithful husband by plotting to kill his new wife and her own children, thereby causing him the greatest amount of sorrow possible.
On the surface, it may seem like the simple story of a crazed, jealous barbaric woman juxtaposed with the perfect image of the Corinthian princess. It is, however, often interpreted on a deeper level – specifically through a feminist lens. Greek tragedies often feature women who assert themselves in a way that would’ve been inconceivable within the society of their time, and the story of Medea is an obvious example.
In a male-dominated world, Medea reclaims her dignity by seeking revenge on the man who thought it acceptable to discard her once she had fulfilled her purpose. She is instrumental in his victory, and she turns this same power against him, using it to orchestrate his downfall, just as she orchestrated his rise to power.
This particular production of the classical tale tells the story through the perspective of Jason and Medea’s children. In the original tale, they are used mainly as a tool for Medea to extend Jason’s suffering, making them more like plot devices than developed characters. In this version of the play, however, they are given a voice, allowing the story to be explored from a more nuanced point of view. We see the plot unfold through their eyes and are given an insight into their parents’ characters, showing a more multi-dimensional view rather than the original, more shallow, surface-level depiction of the damned, unfaithful husband and the violent, forsaken wife.
This production is sure to display new perspectives, and capture audiences with its cutting-edge, contemporary focus on two characters who have often been overlooked.
Medea will run in the Gate Theatre from February 4th to 22nd, with previews beginning on January 30th. Tickets range from €15 to €30.
