February 13, 2006 - 4:00pm
Never heard of The Oresteia?
Well, actually you have. The classic Greek play is one of the most popular stories in the world – Shakespeare called it Hamlet. And now you can see it on stage during Malaspina University-College Theatre Department’s spring production, March 2 to 11.
"It’s a story people keep coming back to," said Ian Johnston, Malaspina Honorary Research Associate who translated the version being used by the Malaspina Theatre department.
"(The Oresteia) has been called the most optimistic work ever written. It is an attempt to explain what justice is and how do you get justice. Can justice be both reasonable and emotionally satisfying? That is still a question we debate about."
The original three plays were written by the fifth century Greek tragedian Aeschylus. It is a story about the great warrior king Agamemnon who returns home to Argos after ten years fighting in the Trojan War to find his queen Clytaemnestra has plotted with her lover to murder him. Agamemnon’s children desire revenge for their father’s death and in the final scene, the murderers are tried for the crimes in front of a jury.
Malaspina Theatre Department instructor Eliza Gardiner took Johnston’s translation and condensed the original three plays into a three-act action packed production.
"The challenge really was to condense without ruining the story," said Gardiner, who is also directing the production.
"It is a beautiful play and still appeals to a modern audience."
Gardiner, who teaches theatre history at Malaspina, has a passion for Greek plays.
"Whenever you do anything historical it is not perfect because we weren’t there but you can pay tribute to those historical traditions while also showing modern creativity."
"It’s really nice to see Malaspina doing classical theatre. This is a play you wouldn’t see elsewhere because most theatre groups don’t have the resources to do it," said Johnston.
"I admire Eliza for doing this because it is a tough one and tough to do as an abbreviated version."
Translating ancient work is a hobby for Johnston. So far he’s translated more than one dozen plays and works into English from French, German and Greek.
"You can’t explain translation – it’s like doing crossword puzzles, either you like to or you don’t," said Johnston.
The Oresteia shows evenings March 2 to 4 and March 9 to 11 at 8 p.m. Matinees will be held March 6 to 9 at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. All performances are in the Malaspina University-College Theatre, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo. For information or to purchase tickets call the Malaspina Theatre box office at 740-6100.
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