Medea - No Fury Like A Woman Scorned
Medea by Euripides – a version by Ben Power, at the Loft Theatre Company, Leamington Spa, from Wednesday 22 January to Saturday 1 February 2025.
Review by Nikki Thomas.
Here we have a modern re-telling of Euripides Medea – the timeless tragedy. Ben Power’s adaption holds appeal for today’s audience whilst still capturing the vital essences of Greek Tragedy. This production – directed by Craig Shelton – tells Medea’s story as an abandoned wife and mother with key themes of vengeance, justice, betrayal alongside love and jealousy.
Medea’s story is a powerful reminder of human frailty and susceptibility to act on our most powerful emotions. Julie-Ann Randell’s portrayal of Medea is in good hands, and she guides the viewer through heartbreak, loss and jealousy. Then on through the raw feelings of vengeance and rage. The lead actress captures Medea’s fury whilst still holding the audience’s sympathy. Her use of movement to provoke emotion was notable and her performance in this coveted role rivals those seen in larger scale productions.
Peter Daly-Dickson as Jason and Julie-Ann Randell. Photo by Richard Smith.
The members of the chorus add a haunting lens with which Medea’s actions are justified or challenged. Their role is to highlight the conflict within Medea as she confronts her rage and tragically succumbs to it. Many of these chorus members stood out as their delivery and gestures echoed the internal conflict within the story.
The soundtrack produced a particularly haunting feel that mirrored the impending horrors in the story unfolding. A few deliberate loud sound moments are used to signify Medea giving herself to her flaws and the abandonment of her own maternal instincts. The use of few props brings significance to those that are included and keep the audience’s attention on what is important. The climactic end is staged with just the right amount of horror to inflict a reaction from the audience with the focus kept on the power Medea affords herself in her final act. It is then left to the viewer to condemn her or accept her actions as a product of injustice.
Book tickets at - MEDEA - The Loft Theatre Company
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