Last night, SUTCo’s cast of Medea took to the stage for their opening night and it did not disappoint!
Medea, written by Euripides and first performed in 431 BC, follows the tale of Medea who learns that her husband Jason is to marry another. She is quite understandably distraught as he begins to start a new family with King Creon’s daughter Glauce. Medea’s revenge plan begins when she is faced with exile and she is willing to take extreme measures to make sure evil is brought upon those who deserve it. Co-directors Caitlin Wood and Kirsty Lucas took on the challenge that was this ancient text and created an impressive and spectacular performance.
As we entered, the stage was haunted with the statuesque figures of the Corinthians (played by Immy Eyre, Iris Read and James Platt) accompanied by Hozier’s ‘Son of Nyx’, immediately setting the sinister tone of the Greek play. Matilda Harradine’s opening speech was emotionally charged, placing the audience immediately in the aftermath of Medea’s disastrous relationship with Jason.
Isobel Treacy’s portrayal of the titular character was both moving and commanding throughout as we witness her suffer through the turmoils of betrayal, heartbreak and imminent exile from Corinth. Treacy showed both Medea’s warmth and vulnerability but she wasn’t afraid to transition into her powerful and evil nature in the second act. Despite it being a tragedy, Medea did not come without light relief. This came in the shape of Aegeus (Toma Hoffman), King of Athens and ally to Medea. Hoffman’s humorous portrayal gave the audience a bit of respite from the darkness and was an addition which I certainly wasn’t expecting.
Inspired by Theatre of Cruelty creator Antonin Artaud, the Medea tech team created an impeccable soundscape which kept the audience very involved and hooked to the action unfolding. It was a mix of a Greek temple atmosphere, chanting and infant’s cries indicating the darkness to come. This blended well with the lighting that gave the performance an immersive and dark edge that the tragedy demands. Lighting appeared to change an large number of times, however the use of silhouette, spotlights and strobe effect to enhance the drama was excellent. The costume designer Abby Broido brought a modern twist to traditional Greek theatre attire with the makeup being particularly effective.
Overall, I commend the whole cast and crew for taking on such a challenging piece and for pulling it off with immense performance and spectacular technical skill.
Rating: ★★★★☆
SUTCo’s Medea is running until December 2nd at the University Drama Studio. Get your tickets here
