Medea at Soho Place
Soho Place’s new production of Medea, adapted from Euripides’s original by Robinson Jeffers and directed by Dominic Cooke, is a gut-wrenching, bold and unforgettable experience.
The Greek tragedy tells the story of Medea, a young woman torn from her home and now living in Corinth with Jason, a man for whom she has sacrificed everything. But when Jason abandons her for a new bride, leaving her an outsider – a “barbarian” amongst the Greeks, alone and cast out by all men – she begins to formulate a revenge plan that will bring Jason’s entire world crashing down, along with her own.
Sophie Okonedo is incredible as the protagonist: fierce, feminist, frightening and extremely powerful; despite her twisted schemes, the audience still sympathise with her plight. It is impossible to look away from the actress from the moment she appears. She captivates the audience, keeping them always on the edge of their seats.
Ben Daniels is also remarkable as all of the play’s male characters: Jason, Creon, Aegeus and the Tutor. Daniels’s Aegeus is particularly refreshing amidst the darker scenes and brings a much-needed moment of humour. The choice to have one actor portray all the men is effective, highlighting Medea’s plight against the patriarchy.
The theatre’s staging is highly impactful, and the seating plan in the round creates a sense of claustrophobia during the tense moments, as well as an intimacy between the audience and Medea. They are addressed by her as the women of Corinth, becoming part of the chorus. In addition, the decision to seat the three chorus women among the audience is a clever touch, increasing the solidarity felt as one is further enveloped in the plot.
Medea remains within the circular centre of the stage for almost the entire performance; as a woman of Corinth, her place is within the domestic circle, contrasting with Daniels’s male characters, who constantly traverse its outside, with a mesmerising slow-motion effect. Yet this is not a story that leaves the woman trapped inside: she transgresses gender boundaries in her revenge, which ends with Jason collapsed within the circle and Medea standing tall in her black retribution dress. The pouring rain and flashes of lightning in the darkness give Medea a terrible and triumphant strength in the final moments of the play.
Eleanor Antoniou
Photos: Manuel Harlan and Johan Persson
Medea is at Soho Place from 10th February until 22nd April 2023. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.
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