By Michael Buzzelli
The titular character, Iphigenia (Mariya Dempsey), a new bride, is slain (or sent into exile on a deserted island…it’s a little bit confusing). In retaliation, Clytemnestra (Akisse Morton) slays her husband, setting off a cycle of blood and revenge among Iphigenia’s siblings in Ellen McLaughlin’s modern retelling of “The Fall of the House of Atreus” with her play, “Iphigenia and Other Daughters.”
Chrysothemis (Kiki Farrell) wants to be left alone in her garden. She wants no part of any revenge schemes that her feral sister, Electra (Abbie Siecinski), is cooking up. The problem is that the wild Electra can’t find the strength to plunge the dagger into her mother’s breast. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your point of view), when the prodigal son, Orestes (John Papadimitriou), returns from the war, Electra convinces him to commit matricide.
There’s death, human sacrifice, murder, and talk about suicide. The play is not for the squeamish. Most of the death scenes take place off stage, and the blood is represented with stains, dyes, and even silken threads (like a flower, see photograph below).
Thanksgiving dinner is going to be awkward at the House of Atreus this year.
It’s a soulful reimagining of the family’s plight, where death leads to more death. Of course, there are a lot of monologues. Every character gets a few paragraphs of lyric language about blood and violence.
Naturally, there’s a Chorus of young women watching as the events unfold (played by a group of female students).
The modern retelling has some curious anachronisms, such as Ritz crackers and the evening news. Modern touchstones that seemed out of place for this grand Greek tragedy.
Morton is a diabolical Clytemnestra. She excels in the role, posing regally as she traipses through the halls of the family estate.
Siecinski is an electrifying Electra. She struts around the stage like a caged animal (at some point, she is actually constrained by a thick rope, chained like a dog in the front yard).
The play is interesting, but it really doesn’t get going until Papadimitriou’s Orestes shows up. Before his arrival, there are many speeches and no action, but when Orestes shows up, things get done. The play finally has some forward momentum. Papadimitriou is the perfect actor to drive the plot. He is charismatic and bold on the Pitt Stage. It’s an excellent performance.
Payne Bannister gets the actors to envelop every part of Gianni Downs beautifully designed set. Downs set is Greek architectural marvel with columns and stairs, giving the actors multiple planes to perform on. It’s expertly lit by Annmarie Duggan with soft blue lights.
While it starts slow, “Iphigenia and Other Daughters” provides a powerful punch in the last twenty minutes of the 75-minute show.
-MB
“Iphigenia and Other Daughters” runs until November 21 at the Charity Randall Theater, inside the Stephen Foster Memorial Theater, 4129 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, click here.
Hi! I was in this show and there are 6 members of the chorus including the 4 in the article plus Victoria Murphy and Jillian Uzelac. Victoria and Jillian were swings for the 4 principal women but also on stage the whole time as the chorus.
Yes. You and your castmates were also there. Luckily, the playbill mentioned all of your names. If you and your fellow Chorus members had done something memorable or meritorious, I would have mentioned you. Unfortunately, the script treated you all like ornamentation for most of the production, and I found little reason to mention you, and/or the other members of the Chorus.