Iphigenia

Synopsis

The Greek fleet bound for Troy is becalmed. For the sake of a wind, Agamemnon, leader of the Greek forces, is persuaded that he must sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia. But as the priest raises his knife to slit the child's throat, the goddess Diana spirits her away. Clytemnestra, Agamemnon's wife, believing her beloved daughter to be dead, slays her husband in revenge on is return from the Trojan wars. Their son, Orestes, avenges his father's death by killing his mother. Now, years later, as Iphigenia, a prisoner of the temple of Diana, looks across the sea to Athens, longing to return home, her brother Orestes arrives to rescue her...

Our Review:

John Campbell - 1 November 2011

Iphigenia is perhaps the boldest choice of Laurence Boswell’s exciting first season at the Ustinov. Goethe has fared less well on British stages recently than some of his contemporaries. Boswell, though, has unearthed a great play and given it a gripping production.

Iphigenia is a sequel to Iphigenia on Aulis in which Agamemnon, Iphigenia’s father, sacrifices his daughter to Diana so that the becalmed Greeks can sail for Troy. Iphigenia willingly goes to her death, only to be swept away at the last minute by Diana and taken to Tauris where she tends Diana’s temple. This is how we find her at the start of Iphigenia, an exile longing for home.

Much depends on the actress playing the title role and here we get an outstanding performance from Laura Rees who makes her character’s emotional turmoil and belief in truth and honesty in human relations (and her stirring defence of women ) completely convincing. There is not a weak link in ...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

Debi Moore - 20 December 2011:

Stunning production, I may have left it to the last day but my goodness it was well worth it. Laura was ....... well I was speechless, she is an amazing actress. Thank you for bringing this to a stage near me x ...

Read more and add your own review