PUPILS AND THE DRAMA DEPARTMENT WORK TOGETHER TO PRESENT THE GRUESOME AND GRIPPING PERFORMANCE OF 'MEDEA'.

Medea is a wife and a mother. For the sake of er husband, Jason, she’s left her home and borne two sons in exile, only for him to abandon her for a new life. Heartbroken and stricken with grief, Medea plans appalling revenge and destroys everything she holds dear.

We spoke to Lower Sixth pupil and Drama Scholar, Shaan S, about his experience and how he prepared himself for the lead role of Jason. 

With all it’s nuances and darkness, Medea was a spectacular production and a unique opportunity for the drama department at REPTON to bring to stage an Ancient Greek tragedy with a modern twist. As a drama scholar, I relished the opportunity to be part of a team dedicated to putting on such a high standard play in the shortest of time - culminating in three mesmerising shows. 

I played the role of Jason and portrayed the sad end of his union with Medea - whom he abandons in order to marry the daughter of Creon. This fuels Medea’s revenge, resulting in the death of his new bride, her father and his children. Preparation for this show involved watching the National Theatre’s adaptation, reading the play by Ben Power plus a number of weekend and late night rehearsals! 

Crafting the character of Jason was tricky, creating the layers of his personality combined with executing a high energy delivery was immensely challenging. I had (thankfully!) never experienced Jason’s feelings of tainted love, loss and betrayal; powerful themes and a challenge to deliver maturely at my age. I worked hard to capture all the pathos of his situation, and therefore was delighted to receive feedback after the play, regarding the realism of my acting throughout the intense emotional scenes and my character’s stage presence. 

My favourite part of the play was the holistic collaboration between lighting, sound, costume and of course acting. These elements created a disturbing but breathtaking visual spectacle for the shocking and bloody horror at the end, which showcased the murder of Jason’s children, creating a powerful sensory experience for the audience.

‘Hate is a bottomless cup; I will pour and pour’.

It was fabulous to be a part of Medea and build memories in the 400 Hall. My absolute gratitude and thanks goes to all those involved in this memorable and incredible show; it was both a pleasure and a privilege. 

Shaan S