Medea − Learning Pack
Contents
About This Pack ...... 1
Background Information ...... 2
Teaching Information ...... 4
Plot Synopsis with Timecodes ...... 6
Find Out More...... 11
1 Medea − Learning Pack
About
This learning pack supports the National Theatre’s production of Medea, directed by Carrie Cracknell, which opened on 22nd July 2014 at the National’s Olivier Theatre in London.
Our packs are designed to support viewing the recording on the National Theatre Collection. This pack provides links to the UK school curriculum and other productions in the Collection. It also has a plot synopsis with timecodes to allow you to jump to specific sections of the play.
1 Medea − Learning Pack Background Information Recording Date – 4th September, 2014 Location – Olivier Theatre, National Theatre Age Recommendation – 12+ (some bloody imagery)
Cast
Nurse ...... Michaela Coel Medea ...... Helen McCrory Aegeus, King of Athens ...... Dominic Rowan Jason ...... Danny Sapani Kreusa ...... Clemmie Sveaas Kreon, King of Corinth ...... Martin Turner Jason's attendant ...... Toby Wharton Medea's son...... Joel McDermott Medea's son...... Jude Pearce Chorus ...... Lorna Brown Chorus ...... Vivien Carter Chorus ...... Amy Griffiths Chorus ...... Hazel Holder Chorus ...... Jane Leaney Chorus ...... Caroline Martin Chorus ...... Daisy Maywood Chorus...... Yuyu Rau Chorus ...... Petra Söör Chorus ...... Naomi Tadevossian Chorus...... Cath Whitefield Chorus ...... Jane Wymark Ensemble...... Simon Desborough Ensemble...... Adrian Grove
2 Medea − Learning Pack Background Information Recording Date – 4th September, 2014 Location – Olivier Theatre, National Theatre Age Recommendation – 12+ (some bloody imagery)
Musicians
Accordion, keyboard...... Ian Watson Percussion ...... Joby Burgess Violin, viola ...... Sarah Crisp Cello ...... Llinos Richards Viola ...... Katie Wilkinson
Creative Team Director ...... Carrie Cracknell Playwright ...... Euripedes Adaptor ...... Ben Power Designer ...... Tom Scutt Lighting Designer ...... Lucy Carter Choreographer...... Lucy Guerin Music ...... Will Gregory Music ...... Alison Goldfrapp Sound Designer ...... Gregory Clarke Fight Director ...... Owain Gwynn
3 Medea − Learning Pack Teaching Information
This production is particularly suitable for:
• Drama and theatre students studying Greek drama • Anyone interested in re-imaged contemporary productions of classic plays
In particular you might like to explore:
• The decision to move the action of the play to a contemporary setting and how this affects an audience’s understanding of the social, historical and cultural context of the play. • The role of the chorus in a contemporary production of a Greek tragedy. • Symbolism in the production’s design and how it aides our understanding of the play. • Helen McCrory’s performance in this production alongside her performance in Carrie Cracknell’s production of The Deep Blue Sea. • The role of women and mothers in drama across a number of different productions including Medea, Antigone, Hamlet and The Deep Blue Sea.
4 Medea − Learning Pack Teaching Information
There are a number of other productions in the National Theatre Collection that relate to this one, which you and your students may wish to explore alongside it.
Other productions of Greek drama
Production Date Adaptation Director
Antigone 2014 Don Taylor Polly Findlay
Other productions featuring members of the same creative team
Production Date Artist
Romeo and Juliet 2017 Ben Power - Adaptor
The Deep Blue Sea 2016 Carrie Cracknell - Director The Deep Blue Sea 2016 Tom Scutt - Designer
5 Medea − Learning Pack Plot Synopsis With Timecodes
Scene One: Medea’s children are lying on the floor watching television, one runs upstairs and plays a motif on the piano which forms the soundscape for the following scene.
Scene Two (0:01:20): The Nurse enters and summarises the events that took place prior to the play.
With a group of men - the Argonauts -, Jason sailed to Colchis in the Argo to capture the Golden Fleece from King Pelias. He enlisted the help of Medea, the King's daughter, to carry out the task. Medea, who has magical powers, fell passionately in love with Jason. She betrayed her own family, marrying Jason and conspiring to murder Pelias through trickery, which forced the couple into exile in Corinth. They have two sons, but Jason wants more wealth and so has left Medea for his new bride, the daughter of King Creon of Corinth, leaving Medea devastated.
Scene Three (0:07:02): A Chorus of women from Corinth enter. Medea
6 Medea − Learning Pack Plot Synopsis With Timecodes
rages from the woods outside the house. Medea enters, telling the women she cannot be consoled but wants her story to be told truthfully. She reflects on how she risked everything for Jason, including deceiving her family and risking her body in childbirth, only to be betrayed.
Scene Four (0:13:33): Kreon, King of Corinth, enters. He tells her that she and her children are exiled from Corinth; he and the citizens fear the ‘dark’ and ‘foreign’ Medea and her evil powers. Medea pleads to stay, but he gives her only one day to make arrangements. He leaves to attend the wedding of Jason and his new wife, Kreusa.
Scene Five (0:18:13): Medea plots how to take revenge on Kreon, Jason and Kreusa. She muses that she cannot murder them directly as she will be stopped and killed. She instead plans to curry public favour for herself and then act. She retrieves a clothed package from the floorboards and stashes it in the kitchen.
Scene Six (0:21:50): The Nurse warns the children not to go near their mother. The Chorus reflect on what the story of Jason and Medea represents for the changing roles of men and women as Kreusa dons her bridal gown.
Scene Seven (0:24:03): Jason arrives, telling Medea her temper and behaviour towards the royal family has forced herself into exile. He promises to support her and the children. Medea reminds him of the actions she took to help him and the children. In response Jason belittles her. He claims he did more for her than she for him, and says he's marrying the princess to give his children financial security. They passionately kiss, but she refuses his support and swears revenge on him.
Scene Eight (0:31:09): The Chorus reflect on the pity of Medea’s exile, and awfulness of displacement.
7 Medea − Learning Pack Plot Synopsis With Timecodes
Scene Nine (0:32:04): Ageus, the King of Athens, arrives having gone to the oracle for guidance on why he has never been able to have children. He has great sympathy for Medea’s situation. Medea asks for sanctuary in Athens and in return she will use magic to grant him children. He agrees but to avoid being reprimanded by Kreon, she must travel alone. Medea makes Ageus formally swear to protect her.
Scene Ten (0:38:16): As Medea prepares her things, Jason and Kreusa are married.
Scene Eleven (0:40:46): Medea instructs the Nurse to go and get Jason. She plans to give Kreusa a cloak soaked in poison that will kill her when she wears it. She also fosters the idea of killing her sons to ‘take back’ her life and ‘end Jason’s happiness’. The Chorus try to dissuade her saying Ageus will not accept her if she does this.
Scene Twelve (0:44:35): Jason arrives, and Medea apologises for her
8 Medea − Learning Pack Plot Synopsis With Timecodes
behaviour. She asks him to convince Kreon to let the boys stay in Corinth; he says he’ll try. Finally, she gives him the poisoned cloak for Kreusa.
Scene Thirteen (0:51:46): The Chorus reflect on what is to come and the encroaching weather. We see Kreusa unwrapping the cloak.
Scene Fourteen (0:54:03): An Attendant returns with the boys with news that they are freed from exile. Medea tells Nurse to prepare a bath for the children. She talks to her sons, and considers changing her mind and not kill them. They leave, and she reflects that if she lets them live they will learn to hate their mother. In the background we see Kreusa in the cloak, writhing in agony.
Scene Fifteen (1:02:29): The Attendant returns telling Medea she must flee. The cloak burnt the flesh off Kreusa, killing her, and Kreon also died trying to save her. Medea delights in the news.
9 Medea − Learning Pack Plot Synopsis With Timecodes
Scene Sixteen (1:06:28): Medea, sharpening a knife, resolves herself and goes into the forest to find the children and kill them. The Chorus plead to the gods to change the course of actions, citing the story of Ino, who went mad after murdering her children and killed herself. There are screams from the woods and the Nurse goes to investigate.
Scene Seventeen (1:10:34): Jason enters in a wild fury, calling for Medea. The Chorus tell him what she’s done. He leaves to investigate, returning with his children’s bloodied toy.
Scene Eighteen (1:14:14): Medea enters covered in blood with the slaughtered children in sleeping bags. Jason curses Medea, willing her to die. Medea says she grieves for her children, but admits their deaths soothes her pain, and blames the deaths on Jason. She refuses to let him bury the children and leaves for Athens, carrying them over her shoulder.
The End
10 Medea − Learning Pack
Find out more
Read
The Rehearsal Insights Pack, featuring the rehearsal diary from this production, written by Staff Director Ned Bennett
Watch
Helen McCrory on Medea
National Theatre: Medea today
Medea’s Dress: Making Blood and Mud
General Greek Theatre content:
An Introduction to Greek Theatre
An Introduction to Greek Tragedy
The Ancient Greek Chorus
Modern Interpretations of Greek Chorus Creating
Chorus: Leading Exercise
Creating Chorus: Building Choreography Creating
Chorus: Pace Exercise
An Introduction to Greek Comedy and Satyr Drama
Women of Troy (2007) Stage Design
11 Medea − Learning Pack
Find out more
Explore
The National Theatre’s digital exhibitions on Google Arts & Culture, including Greek Tragedy at the National Theatre and Costume at the National Theatre.
More materials relating to the production including the costume bible, poster, programme, stage management reports and more are held at the National Theatre Archive, which is free to visit. Find out more here: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/archive
12