Theatre Review
Euripides' 'Trojan Women' Oxford Playhouse to Sat 8th May. The action of Euripides' 'Trojan Women' is sparse, yet crafted beautifully so as to engage the audience through the anguish of its subjects - the Women of Troy. Beginning in the aftermath of Troy's destruction, the Playhouse set is simple yet effective, with burnt trees decorating the back of the stage, fresh graves covering the front. Hecuba, the leader of the chorus sits half buried in one of these graves, her husband dead and she herself about to be taken as a concubine or a slave like her daughters and the other women of troy. It is a smart move employing professional actress Liz Brook in this role for two reasons. Not only does it give the role legitimacy - a young student would not quite cut it aesthetically - the commanding presence Brook brings to this pivotal role gives the production a strong backbone. For indeed, the role of Hecuba
is the backbone of the play. The structure is such that the other
players come to her with their parts, each in turn relating their
personal experience of devastation; the crazed daughter From here, though, the production
can move you to tears, as Elisabeth Gray's superb Andromache says
goodbye to her only child. Gray's performance truly is the highlight
of the night, and she rivals Brook in her Hanna Johnson, 5.5.4 |