Medea

Medea

- The mother refused to comply with social norms and her characterisation was completely different to that of the other mothers. Her costume also reflected this inability to fit in, as she has black hair and wore plain, dark clothes; the other mothers wore brightly coloured, feminine clothes and wigs, so they appeared put together and 'motherly'.

- The group of mothers choreography was interesting as it reflected their need to copy each other. It almost presented them as clones of one another, which portrays a woman's pressure to be the 'perfect'  mother. I feel as though the protagonist's struggle to live up to her expectations of a mother was portrayed greatly through the group of 'yummy mummy's'

- Additionally, I noticed throughout the choreography that there were some moments when one character would fall behind and perform the moves a beat after everyone else. This may have been implying that no mother is perfect, as there were even faults in the group of 'perfect' mothers.

- The use of the stairwell was interesting, as characters would often exit through it, and the protagonist would lean over the banister and watch them walk down. This may have been representative of her wanting to exert power and take on a masculine role, as she would be on a higher level, as though she had won the argument. Particularly when the husband exited through the stairwell, he would become silent and she would be left screaming at him as he walked down the stairs. This could be interpreted that he may not have actually been present, and she was reliving old memories. Additionally, it could be said that the stairwell gave the arguments some kind of domesticity and their reoccurring relationship issues, as he left the room.

- Linking back to Jane Eyre, when characters walked downstairs to represent their death, I felt as though the stairwell may have been representative of a similar meaning. The characters walking down the stairs may have been foreshadowing the death of the children and how her husband is essentially dead to her, as the children were the only thing keeping them together.

- The digging was another interesting aspect of the production, as it signified the digging of a grave or the burying of her past. Her costume change into a more traditional dress at this point was also significant, as it implied that this aspect of the performance was not naturalistic/realist. Also, the change linked well to the context of Medea and it's original Greek background. Again, the grey, traditional costume showed the change into her character and made her appear more evil and surrealist in comparison to her t shirt and jeans. Overall, it created some kind of emotional detachment to her character, as she became somewhat more fictional and a sinister figure of the past, (showing her mental deterioration).

- The protagonist's mental deterioration was also portrayed through the children. Her shouting and arguing gave the impression that although she was suffering, she was able to shout and have an emotional outlet, (wasn't afraid of showing her pain). However, the children contrasted with this, remaining fairly quiet and reserved throughout. Personally, I felt that this showed how the children were suffering internally as a result of their parent's issues, but unlike the mother, they were unable to externalise these emotions. Perhaps this was a factor in their death / suicide attempt.

- The grandparents gave context to the protagonist's background without giving a direct explanation of her past; the bitterness of the grandmother's character showed how they never formed a good bond with one another. This gave a possible explanation for the protagonist's inability to provide and be 'good enough' for her children, as she never had a mother figure herself.

- "Getting used to you would be like getting used to Cancer" - this phrase was unsettling and shocking, particularly as it was delivered by one of the young children. I feel as though the phrase was playing on a typical bickering argument between siblings. By including this line, the bickering became sinister and un-natural, as comparing someone to a disease is shocking and drastic. This highlighted the struggles that the children were facing as a result of their parents; seeing things in a dark and sinister way at such a young age was unsettling and may have foreshadowed their suicide later on in the play. (Resonated with the audience)