Left - Manja Topper and Oscar van Woensel. Cover - Kuno Bakker and Oscar van Woensel. Photos - Sanne Peper “Forever. But what does that mean - forever?” Dutch theatre company Dood Paard addresses this philosophical quandary in a reworking of Euripides famous tragedy, Medea. The new title, MedEia, is an indication of the contemporary media used in the play, which fits comfortably alongside universal themes of love, hate, revenge and isolation.
Upon entering the theatre, the actors are waiting; waiting on stage for their audience to arrive so they can tell us the story of Medea. For this is clearly MedEia’s purpose: to reveal the truth of the Euripides tale, stripping back all theatrical cues so that it’s just the actors, the audience and a few blank backdrops. The fourth wall is down, communication is direct and the audience is equally involved in the play’s implications as the actors themselves. Reminiscent of filmmaker Lars Von Trier’s dogme manifesto, Dood Paard offers a return to the human complexities of Medea without drama, but instead with an approach that reflects our own contemporary reality.
Kuno Bakker, Manja Toppa and Oscar Van Woensel make up the small cast, interpreting the text from the perspective of the Corinthian chorus while also switching between the roles, Medea, Jason and King Creon. If none of these characters sound familiar, then MedEia may be a little difficult to follow. It works on the preconception that the audience has read Euripides Medea and the non-linear narrative provides little context for the uninitiated. That said, a brief synopsis before the show will provide all that is necessary to appreciate this otherwise accessible adaptation.
A distinctly European wit and comedic timing imbue the heavy material with a freshness not found in traditional performances of Medea, interweaving pop song lyrics from The Beatles to Lou Reed. The actors often relate cheeky grins or sighs of frustration to the audience, rejecting their character to reflect on the text, like us, as observers. This self-reflexivity is welcome in an era when a bit of endearing neurosis is increasingly frequent in contemporary drama. Would you be exasperated if you could not intervene in a mother’s killing of her two children? Would you be sad if this tragedy occurred, after wanting so desperately to stop it? The Chorus is effectively paralysed from participating in the unfolding story and therefore can only resound, “love is the most destructive of all emotions. Love is the most beautiful of all emotions. Love is the most unreasonable of all emotions.”
Following each act the hanging backdrop is torn down and another is raised, giving the piece a forward momentum and alluding to the transience of all these heated emotions. Again we are asked: “Forever. But what does that mean - forever?” A slideshow of travel shots accompanied by pop tracks breaks up the four acts to rest the audience, and add some irreverent humour. During this time we are left to smile and reflect on the fallibility of the human condition. If this is where contemporary theatre is headed, as Dood Paard’s MedEia suggests, be ready to join the cast in some playful theatrical analysis.
Melbourne International Arts Festival presents
medEia
Dood Paard
Venue: The CUB Malthouse, Beckett Theatre
When: Mon 15 – Thu 18 Oct at 8.15pm; Fri 19 & Sat 20 Oct at 9pm
Duration: 1hr 30min no interval
Prices: Full $40 / Groups (8+) $36 / Conc $30 / Student $22 / School Groups $12
Bookings: Ticketmaster 1300 136 166 | www.melbournefestival.com.au
The CUB Malthouse (03) 9685 5111 | www.malthousetheatre.com.au