“Medea: Her Story” is a heart-wrenching rendition of Euripides’ “Medea” told by a woman who can’t change her actions. She is woman with nothing left but her recollections and sadness.
It is an all too relatable tale for anyone who has made mistakes they cannot undo, the tale of a heartbreak, and the pain that follows living with a new reality.
The dialogue is accessible and modern. Audiences are asked not to jump through hoops in order to interpret the play, but rather to experience the story and understand the so often misunderstood Medea.
The play opens with Medea locked in a prison cell for killing her own children while her husband is marrying another woman in the room above.
Nina Rydalch | Argonaut
Reflective and melancholy, the story is told almost entirely through Medea’s flashbacks while she awaits her execution.
“If you’re not careful, you’ll let the loudest voice in the room tell the story of your life,” Medea, played by Kelly Quinnett said in her opening monologue.
The play captures the importance of telling one’s side before others skew it and shows the process by which reality turns into history and mythology.
For this play, Medea truly is the storyteller. This strengthens the story, it allows the audience to become more intimately connected with Medea and understand her actions. It also brings a greater depth of emotion to the stage.
However, it does make it more difficult to connect with the other characters. At the same time, the play is consistent with the theme that each character must tell their own story.
Some characters are even played by the same actor to clearly illustrate Medea’s views on them as well as her fixation with the past.
A dark pool is set in the center of the stage, significantly enhancing the entire experience. This technical element illustrates the relationships between characters in a way not often used in theater. With this, people are drawn together not only by their proximity and actions, but also by presence in the pool. Additionally, when the light bounces off the pool, the rippling reflections play across the upper walls and give the space an even more enclosed feel.
The other technical elements are just as impressive. An ancient-looking and meticulously designed wall looms in the background. Light shines through two floor-to-ceiling strips of clear material on either side of a door. Modern caged lights hang uniformly from the ceiling, illuminating the stage with a soft yellow light. Trim encases three sides of the ceiling, enclosing the space. All of this amplifies the audience’s connection with the overall feeling of entrapment Medea experiences both physically and mentally.
Everything truly necessary to understand the story is given through narration and dialogue.
However, it does help to have some familiarity with Greek mythology. There are some jokes that only make sense with a bit of background — or with the original “Medea” coming into the play. But even without any experience “Medea: Her Story” will assuredly pluck at the heartstrings.
Nina Rydalch can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NinaRobin7