Inspired by seven female characters from the plays of Euripides, including Medea, Phedre, and Alcestis, Teevan refashions them for the modern world. Linked by the thread of motherhood and tragedy, each story is relayed in free verse by Niamh Cusack and Shannon Hayes.
The sparsely furnished stage is hung with seven rocks on strings which are cut at the end of each woman’s story and deliver a satisfying clunk as they hit the floor.
While Cusack is animated to the point of exhaustion, both actresses work hard to inject visual life into the dense text, running around and up and down the three levels at the rear.
Director Melly Still adds small flourishes such as a protective circle of salt, silhouetted gestures and copious wine drinking, while Malcolm Rippeth’s lighting is restlessly inventive.
A flawed but fascinating piece.
