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Plays

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Medea

OVERVIEW

  • Playwright

    Brendan Kennelly 

  • Adapted / Translated From

    Euripides 

  • Author Notes

    A version and translation from Euripides

  • Synopsis

    Medea, a barbarian witch, betrays her family to help her lover Jason win the Golden Fleece. She finds him courting another woman, the daughter of King Creon of Corinth. After failing to persuade Jason to return to her, she decides to kill her rival with a gift of poisoned clothing. She also decides to kill her children. King Aegeus of Athens stumbles along in search of a cure for his childlessness. He agrees to grant her asylum should she need it. She escapes from Jason at the end of the play on a dragon-drawn chariot given to her by her grandfather Helius, the sun god.

  • Play Type

    Adaptation/Translation

    Number Of Acts

    Full-Length

  • Cast Size Male

    7

  • Cast Size Female

    3

  • Cast Notes

    Two child actors also performed in the original production.

ORIGINAL PRODUCTION

  • Date of First Production

    05 October 1988

  • Production Notes

    Produced by Medea Productions

  • Producer

  • Original Venue

  • Venue Notes

    First performed at the Royal Dublin Society (Concert Hall).

Original Cast  
Nurse Stella McCusker
Jason Michael James Ford
Aengus Christopher Casson
Creon Liam O'Callaghan
Teacher Geoff Golden
Chorus Áine Ní Mhuirí
Medea Susan Curnow
Creon's Guard Shay Dunphy
Messenger Poll Moussoulides
Creon's Guard William Cunningham
Production Team  
Director Ray Yeates
Designer Chisato Yoshimi
Designer Katrina McKillen
Lighting Designer Bernard Griffin
Music Composed by Noel Eccles
Musician Paul Maher
Assistant Director John Breen
Stage Director Marie Breen
PR Julie Barber
Photography Tom Lawlor (1)
Administrator Arthur Duignan

PUBLISHED SCRIPTS

RIGHTS INFORMATION

  • Territory

    All Territories

  • Rights Type

    All Rights

  • Contact

    Brendan Kennelly

  • Address

    Trinity College
    Dublin 2
    Republic of Ireland

SOURCE OF INFORMATION

The information for this entry was taken from the original production programme and from the 1988 Dublin Theatre Festival programme..