The production of Orestes at the Playhouse is a very special occurrence in the Oxford dramatic calendar. It marks the 125th anniversary of the first play to be performed in Ancient Greek in Oxford, which has now become a triennial tradition. It is a phenomenal undertaking, with a cast of twenty and a crew several times larger. Self-evidently, the issue of language poses a great challenge and the cast, (which comprises several non-classicists) have conquered the Greek admirably.

The question remains, however, whether the audience will be able to appreciate the intricacies of the plot and nuance of the meaning, especially given the long narrative monologues that feature heavily in Greek tragedy. If the dialogue is not understood, the story remains a mystery. To this end, electronic screens will provide abridged subtitles, explaining the action, such as that provided in a foreign language opera...

Crucially, this is not a traditional tragedy, and no-one actually dies. This makes the fear of man’s potential for violence all the more poignant. The set is intended to evoke the ancient world as it appears today, and not as it was when the play was written. The broken down ruin of a palace provides the backdrop to the excavated grave circle in which the action takes place.

Though suggestive of the Mycenae one could visit today, this is also symbolic of the death and destruction that have wreaked havoc on both the family and the familial home. The play opens with the appearance of Orestes and Electra, lying on the ground and covered in mud, having slept rough for several days. Rose Heiney is graceful in her anguish, suffering and bitterness evident in her face.

Clothed in regal red and purple cloths, she is sorrowful yet fiercely dignified as she tells the woeful tale of her familial dead. Electra is portrayed as a passionately protective mother figure, nursing her sleeping brother and promising solemnly to look after him. Orestes (Matthew Trueman) brilliantly conveys his internal torment and ensuing madness in his frantic movements and desperate tone.

The action of the play reaches an exciting climax, with a traditional hostage scene in which Orestes is holding a sword to Hermione’s throat. The play is a fantastic visual spectacle, the multi-coloured costumes depicting the diversity of the Greek world. ...