Ancient Greek Tragedy to Open at NO99
The NO99 theatre, known for its experimental works, brings ancient Greek drama to the stage with a guest director from the UK.
Euripides's "Iphigenia in Aulis", directed by Lorna Marshall, will open Saturday, March 17.
The play was translated into Estonian for the performance by Anne Lill.
"Dramas from antiquity are staged rarely in Estonia," said the theater in a statement. "Yet these are texts that speak to us only of the essential: humankind and cosmos, world and gods, love and death, honor and responsibility."
Lorna Marshall said the themes of the play are related to family, national honor and war waged for lofty principles. "But what happens when the needs of war claim the life of a child? When noble justifications for war are just a cover for greed and egotism? How do we live with the choices we make?"
Euripides wrote "Iphigenia in Aulis" in the twilight of his life, after a period of ravaging wars had swept over Greece.
The cast is Tambet Tuisk, Mirtel Pohla, Marika Vaarik, Jaak Prints, Eva Klemets,
Rasmus Kaljujärv, Gert Raudsep and Risto Kübar.
Lorna Marshall has worked with such luminaries of the Western theater as Jacques LeCoq and Etienne Decroux, but is also affiliated with various Japanese styles such as no, kabuki and butoh.
Kristopher Rikken