Translating any Greek tragedy is a brave undertaking, but this is especially true of one as complex and forceful as Euripides’ Medea. Edmund Stewart’s attempt is refreshingly enjoyable, with fast-paced, rhythmic dialogue coupled with some intriguing theatrical decisions.
His language is unapologetically archaic, and we are treated to “smitten” and “stricken” within the first speech of the play. Although this can at times be jarring, with Aegeus grandly asserting, “I am not without the yoke of marriage,” the dialogue on the whole is brisk and appropriate.
Stewart’s tour de force is the messenger’s vivid, visual recounting of Creon’s daughter’s poisoning. The description of her frothing mouth and contracted pupils, and final, haunting image of her skin peeling from the every bone does full justice to Euripides’ evocative original.
The stage decisions taken are also well thought out and successful. The play will be performed “in the round,” and although this was not possible to convey at the preview, the attempt to recreate a traditional Greek amphitheatre is an intriguing one.
The costume will be ancient, to match the language, and gradually dimming lighting will be used to reflect Medea’s gradual decline, culminating in an impressive-sounding death scene with strobe and sound effects.
Stewart has done his part in melding a unique translation with careful theatricality, but plays, and translations in particular, can only be as good as their cast, and how that cast deals with the subtleties of the script. Jason was unfortunately lacking from the preview, but Medea is unashamedly about its eponymous heroine, and Arabella Lawson is superb in the role.
Whether conveying fiery frenzy to Creon, pathetic pleading to Aegeus or sick satisfaction at hearing of the success of her poisoning, Lawson brought out the manic passion of the character throughout. She was also visually stunning, all in black, dreadlocked, bejewelled, and communicated both the masculine dominance and feminine deviousness that make Medea such an intriguing character.
Elsewhere David Cochrane was a strong and impressive Creon, a good foil for the frantic Medea, and Stefan Dimitiradis a calm and thoughtful Aegeus, but Lawson’s sensitivity to the language of the translation was not echoed so expertly in the rest of the cast. Her performance, as part of what is a courageous and captivating retelling of one of the great stories of Greek literature, mean that this Medea is, quite literally, bewitching.
four stars
Medea is on at the BT studio, 5th week, Tues-Sat, 7.30pm
