On the 12th of February, a small group of classic students, accompanied by Ms Haye and Ms McLaughlin, went to see the UCL performance of Eurpides’ epic tragedy ‘Iphigenia in Aulis‘ at the Bloomsbury theatre. This tragic tale, adapted and directed by professional actor and director, Simon Dormandy, encompassed themes of internal turmoil, the powerlessness of woman in the ancient world, and of course, the immense sacrifices that were made for the Trojan war.
The story of ‘Iphigenia in Aulis’ follows the gripping tale of Princess Iphigenia of Mycenae, played by professional actress Olivia Ng, where she is deceived by her father, King Agamemnon, into arriving at the Greek camp, having been told she is to marry Achilles himself. However, the awful truth is that she is to be sacrificed to Artemis, in return for the luxury of the God’s winds on the army’s journey to Troy.
The play was modernised so that the military camp was set in a school environment, with the chorus made up of six teenage girls who had snuck into the camp in order to admire the beauty of the Greek men. Amidst all the violence of the play, they provided a light-hearted modern twist in contrast to the darkness of this ancient theme, breaking it up with dances that heavily reflected the current mood of the plot. From spirited discos with colourful lighting, to angry fights with raging music, and finally to sorrowful slow dances near the end, the chorus never failed to reflect the mood of the play, and provide upbeat entertainment for the audience.
The quality of the acting was superb, where the audience could feel the suffering of not just Iphigenia, but also the breaking hearts of her family, as they struggle to protect the liberty of Greece, and suffer the personal sacrifices that they must entail, at any cost.
Additionally, the sheer bravery of Iphigenia when she insists that this sacrificial path is her chosen destiny, reminds us of the portrayed insignificance of woman, as Iphigenia states that this is her only chance, and in some ways a gift, to make a mark greater than motherhood, and be seen as a hero, despite her sex.
This spectacular production of Iphigenia in Aulis, provoked many big questions, like wars corruption of moral judgement, and the injustice of the power dynamics that lie between the gods and the mortals, overall making it an entertaining and thought provoking evening, with even a little katharis!
By Alice W, Year 10
Bloomsbury Theatre photo credit: Mc.guida
