For the very first time, the 2025/26 LUU’s English society and Classics society have collaborated on a play! Constructing and bringing to life the story of Medea, a tale of tragedy and revenge by the Classical Greek playwright Euripides. And they have done an amazing job at it!
For those who may not know too much about Greek mythology, Medea was originally married to Jason, and she aided him heavily when he was trying to gain back his throne. She is notably a talented herbalist and sorceress. In the play, the plot centres around Medea who has been left by Jason for the princess of Corinth. She is then exiled by Creon in his own fear of Medea’s wrath; She seeks vengeance and concocts a plan to kill Jason’s new wife, and to even kill her own two sons that she had with Jason. Although her actions are undeniably ruthless, she is a deeply nuanced character who is excellently portrayed within this play. For me, I find the story to be evocative and heartbreaking, as Medea is left abandoned by Jason and her society — I do in fact believe in women’s rights and wrongs.
The setting and staging were simple, but effective; the classical music in the background enhanced the stage’s atmosphere and brought viewers into the story. One particular moment I enjoyed was the scene between Medea (played by Honor Gore) and Creon (played by Jack Middleton). The use of the balcony above the audience with his slow descent onto the stage, to encapsulate Creon’s power, was executed perfectly. He banishes Medea who then turns to the audience directly to ask for the Hecate — this act of desperation was portrayed beautifully. Her banishment from Athens creates the setting for her act of revenge and rage, which was brilliantly done.
It has to be iterated that Honor Gore as Medea was a powerhouse! Her delivery and stage presence was enrapturing; she moved across the stage with pure confidence. Her presentation of Medea’s struggles evoked sympathy, understanding her struggles as a woman in an oppressed position. The scenes with Jason (played by Jack Foster) were done with electricity. Their arguments portrayed such palpable rage that captured the audience’s attention and they both performed with so much passion. The back and forth was truly brilliant between the actors — personally I sided with Medea for most of them. Even with Aegeus (played by Leo Percival), who takes sympathy onto Medea, their chemistry and conversation were well done. It should also be noted that some parts of the play were quite comedic, such as the character of the Nurse (played by Lilian Gleave) at the beginning of the play.
Throughout the story the Chorus voices lurk in the background, providing extra details and reactions to Medea. Although the music did drown out some of the dialogue by the actors and it was hard at times to hear them, they performed brilliantly. They were the core of the play and allowed for scenes to flow smoothly between each other. They provided context for the narrative, whilst creating specific atmospheres for particular scenes. For example, the Chorus voices announce the queen’s death and express an elegiac narrative to the audience. Additionally, in the last scene with Jason alone after Medea killed their children, the stage rotates around him with the Chorus. I thought this was a thoughtful artistic choice, highlighting the overall consequences Jason has to face due to his betrayal on Medea. The stage and overall space were used well with the Chorus always listening in the background.
I am going to be honest here, I did not know the story of Medea very well (yes, I am an English student; however the play was easy to follow along and I enjoyed learning the story through this adaptation.) The lighting, music and staging were thoughtfully done and it was a pleasure to watch. The play was also in two parts, each part being 45 minutes , but I did not feel bored even once throughout. Director Oleksandra Buryama and assistant director Dorothy Franklin did a fantastic job on bringing Medea to life! They bought together such a wonderful cast of people who performed with genuine passion and so much life. Also a special shoutout to everyone in production and behind the scenes! This play would not be as good as it was without its producers, technicians and designers. I feel it is important to mention the social media and promotion behind this play were done perfectly. It did catch my attention to see a poster with the line ‘Jason I know you CHEATED and here is the proof for everyone to see’ with a QR code to the instagram. It did make me laugh to see around campus, and created an easy understanding of this classical play.
Overall, the English Society and Classic Society’s collaboration on Medea was a joy to see. I hope this can become a yearly tradition for both societies. It was thought-provoking, stayed true to the original narrative, and had actors who performed skilfully. A massive well done to everyone involved! You should all be proud of this production.
Editor: Dhvani Sandlas