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Electra
by
Sophocles, in a new adaptation by Frank McGuinness
First performance at the
Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester on 11th
September 1997. Transferred to the Donmar
Warehouse, London on 21st October 1997; closed 6th December
1997. Transferred to the McCarter Theatre,
Princeton from 15th September to 4th October 1998.
Opened at
the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City on 3rd
December 1998; closed 21st March 1999 (?).
Director: David Leveaux
Assistant Director: David Grindley
Designer: Johan Engels
Lighting: Paul Pyant
Movement Director: Jonathan Butterfell
Sound Designer: Fergus O'Hare; for US run: T.
Richard Fitzgerald
Running time: approx. 100 mins
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Cast
(for UK
run, in
alphabetical order) |
Orla Charlton.....Chrysothemis
Jenny Galloway.....Chorus of Mycenae
Andrew Howard.....Orestes
Alison Johnston.....Chorus
Martin McKellan.....Pylades
Raad Rawi.....Aegisthus
Ninka Scott.....Chorus
Rudolph Walker.....A Tutor to Orestes
Zoë Wanamaker.....Electra
Marjorie Yates.....Clytemnestra |
(for US run, in alphabetical order) |
Claire Bloom.....Clytemnestra
Pat Carroll.....Chorus of Mycenae
Michael Cumpsty.....Orestes
Marin Hinkle.....Chrysothemis
Mirjana Jokovic.....Chorus
Myra Lucretia Taylor.....Chorus
Daniel Oreskes.....Catherine
Stephen Spinella.....Servant to Orestes
Ivan Stamenov.....Pylades
Zoë Wanamaker.....Electra |
Production |
| As
the Greeks prepared to war with Troy, King Agamemnon was
prompted to sacrifice his own daughter, Iphigenia, in order to
appease the gods. After returning home from battle
victorious, he was himself murdered by his wife Clytemnestra, in
a secret pact with her lover, Agamemnon's cousin
Aegisthus. Horrified, Iphigenia's sister Electra sent
their young brother Orestes into hiding. As the play
opens, many years have passed since these brutal killings took
place, yet the memory of her father's bloody death is as fresh
in Electra's mind as her desire for vengeance. Upon
Orestes's unexpected return, events move swiftly. |
Pictures |
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thumbnails to enlarge (images will open in a new window);
pictures from UK run of Electra: |
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Notes |
| 'This
will be remembered as the production in which Zoë Wanamaker
staked her claim to greatness,' concluded Daily Telegraph critic
Charles Spencer, in his review of Electra. |
The image on the cover of the theatre programme for Electra
(shown above) is taken from a childhood photograph of Zoe.
In the younger Zoë's pupils, a portrait of Zoe as an adult can
be seen. |
Zoë was nominated for a Tony award and won a Best Actress
Olivier award for her portrayal of the title character. |
Following the play's Broadway success, Zoe gave her thoughts
about the production in a
detailed interview. She also discussed the
character of Electra, her response
to the play, and spoke about working
in American theatre in further interviews. Zoe later
took part in a
panel discussion about Electra. |
Reviews |
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