U3a Theatre Group – The Oresteia

I love Greek mythology, with its combination of the spoken word (so important when the actors wore masks), and the cautionary tales it tells. In this production at The Bridge Theatre, we are told that the writer and director, who is Australian, has written a modern retelling “after Aeschylus and Others”. Aeschylus wrote 3 plays within the Oresteia which are essentially about revenge for wrongs in which the gods and goddesses have intervened - a tit for tat situation. Revenge can be hidden for years, but when it erupts it usually ends in someone being killed.

The revenge motif is brought up to date here with the help of a terrific set. We, maybe as a Greek Chorus, watch the action being played out over 10 years, with dates to help us, within a glass box, divided into rooms with lovely furniture and immediately know we are in a wealthy family home. Now as we all know wealth can’t buy you happiness and what starts off as an attempt at normality, a 21st birthday party for twin daughters, ends with the marriage breakup of the parents, Christopher and Montie, played by David Morrisey, (Agamemnon} and his American wife Montie, (a hyper Mary-Louise Parker, with a gift for funny one-liners) (Clytemnestra).

Not only has Christopher been “playing away”, but Montie holds him responsible for the death of their eldest daughter and the next thing we know is he is lying dead in this pristine white bath. We were promised blood and gore, but I’ve seen much more in Midsummer Murders! To cut a very long story short, this fuels the differences and grievances between the remaining family members and their close friends, resulting in the despatching of the siblings.

Good news to finish - in the 3rd part of Aeschylus’ tragedy, the Furies (Greek Chorus) change into instruments of justice and the seeds of our modern court system are born.

Contributed by Nikki Packham