Just how far a scorned woman will go to exact her revenge will be on display as East Central University hosts the screening of Medea at 1 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8, in the Raymond J. Estep Multimedia Center of the Bill S. Cole University Center.
ECU SCREENS, in collaboration with Sigma Tau Delta and The Honors Student Association, is conducting the screening of the thrilling recorded live production of Euripedes’ powerful tragedy, performed at the Royal National Theatre of London. The screening, open to the public, is $5 for students and $10 for members of the community.
The production is the story of a wife and mother, Medea, who leaves her home and bears two sons in exile for the sake of her husband, Jason. When he abandons his family for a new life, she faces banishment and separation from her children.
An Ancient Greek tragedy reimagined, Medea promises “love and vengeance with a modern twist”, according to The New York Times. The production is called “thrilling and merciless” by The Daily Telegraph.
Stage and screen veteran Helen McCrory “gives the performance of her career” as Medea (Daily Telegraph). Her past stage performances include Blood Wedding and The Seagull for the National Theatre; The Late Middle Classes, Old Times, Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya (Donmar Warehouse); and As You Like It (West End). Her extensive film and television work includes Skyfall, Hugo, Leaving, A Little Chaos, Penny Dreadful, The Queen, Harry Potter, Street Life (RTS & Monte Carlo Best Actress Awards), Anna Karenina, The Jury and North Square (Critics’ Circle Award).
Director “Carrie Cracknell’s production quakes with female rage and powerlessness” (Observer). Cracknell’s recent work includes Blurred Lines (National Theatre), A Doll’s House (Young Vic, West End and New York) and Wozzeck (ENO). She is associate director at the Royal Court Theatre and an associate artist at the Young Vic and was previously artistic director of The Gate Theatre.
This showing is the second in a series of NT Live screenings that will be presented by ECU SCREENS this fall. NT Live is the National Theatre's groundbreaking project to broadcast the best of British theatre to cinemas around the world. ECU SCREENS will present eight productions, including six different Royal National Theater recorded live stage performances, throughout the fall semester. The screenings, which range from classic literary masterpieces to popular contemporary works, are all open to the public.
To learn more about ECU SCREENS and the fall schedule, visit www.ecuscreens.blogspot.com. For more information about the Royal National Theatre in London and the NT Live screenings, visit https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/. Dr. Rebecca Nicholson-Weir, co-director of ECU SCREENS, may be contacted at (580) 559-5929 or rnichlsn@ecok.edu.