The House of Demons (2009)

Poster by Mark Davies

adapted from Aeschylus's Oresteia, translated by Ted Hughes.

Directed by Michael Wilson.

Performances: Tue 3rd – Sat 7th February 2009, Bell Theatre

Introduction

The House of Demons is an adaptation from two Greek tragedies by Aeschylus - Agamemnon and The Libation Bearers - that form part of his trilogy The Oresteia. The powerful modern translation is by the poet Ted Hughes and was commissioned by The National Theatre in 1999.

The play follows the downfall of the cursed House of Atreus, as first King Agamemnon arrives victorious from Troy and is murdered by his queen Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus, and then their son Orestes returns to Argos to avenge his father's death. Orestes faces the greatest moral dilemma, knowing that in order to fulfil his duty to his murdered father he must kill his own mother. Ted Hughes's raw and vivid verse brings an urgency and immediacy to Aeschylus's dramatic masterpiece.

I plan to give the play a non-specific, modern staging and make extensive use of lighting, music and sound to create a powerful theatrical experience. The strength of the play lies above all in the language, and I will be looking for actors who can do justice to the verse. The two major characters are Clytemnestra and Orestes, but all the parts have some great dramatic speeches. The Chorus is also very important, being on stage virtually throughout. It consists of three Elders of Argos who speak individually and together. Some of the smaller parts will double as servants, guards etc.

Cast

• Agamemnon - Christopher Vian-Smith
• Clytemnestra - Anita Sollis
• Orestes - George Collie
• Electra - Naomi Liddle
• Aegisthus - Stevie Hughes
• Cassandra - Caroline Doyle
• Cilissa - Carole Coyne
• Watchman/Servant - David Ewings
• Herald/Pylades - Dion Williams
• Chorus 1 - Christopher Poke
• Chorus 2 - Linda East
• Chorus 3 - Barry Heselden

Musicians

• Keyboards/ MD - Gerard Johnson
• Woodwind - Michelle Thomson
• Cello - Lal Keenan

Crew

• Stage Manager - SM Name
• Lighting Design - Designer Name
• Lighting Operator - Operator Name

Reviews

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Reminiscences and Anecdotes

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See Also

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References

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External Links

The Orestria on Wikipedia