Theater review: UCLA Live's 'Medea' at Freud Playhouse

Euripides' “Medea” taps into primal emotions that frighten and fascinate us in equal measure. Try as you may to interpret the tale of a wife who, having sacrificed everything for her husband, murders their children to punish him for his unfaithfulness, there’s a mystery, a strangeness at the heart of this shocking crime that is ultimately irreducible.

That strangeness is taken to a new level in UCLA Live’s whirligig production, which opened Wednesday at the Freud Playhouse with an unsteady Annette Bening in the title role. As directed by Lenka Udovicki, a European auteur making her U.S. debut, this “Medea” often seems, frankly, bizarre — an unfortunate consequence of the stylistic flourishes and textual liberties that keep hijacking the spotlight from the actors.

The tragedy, translated by Kenneth McLeish and Frederic Raphael, is arrayed on a raked stage covered in sand. A rusty shanty serves as Medea’s home in Corinth, the land from which she's about to be banished by King Kreon (Daniel Davis), who doesn’t trust what this menacing woman might do to his daughter, now that she’s taken Jason to her marriage bed. Richard Hoover’s scenic design, in addition to reminding us that the Greek city is surrounded by water, suggests that Jason’s royal wedding — the self-serving act that got him into all this trouble — might really be a last-ditch effort to upgrade his family’s miserable living conditions.

But let’s not get too bogged down in the whys and wherefores of transplanting the drama to a low-rent stretch of beach. The more you attempt to logically parse Udovicki’s bold choices, the more likelihood you’ll end up frustrated by their incoherence.

Take for example Bjanka Adzic Ursulov’s costumes, which mix postmodern MTV with vintage wear. The 12-person chorus is decked out like backup dancers at a Janet Jackson concert, lacking only conspicuous head microphones to make it seem as if they’re intoning lines from Euripides’ classic album “Rhythm Nation 431 BC.” Bening, on the other hand, dolled up like a fancy 19th century witch, occasionally invokes Stevie Nicks with a wounded expression and traumatized shock of short-cropped hair.

Should I mention the Britney Spears-like cameo of Kreon’s daughter, a vitally important character who doesn’t actually appear in Euripides’ original? More baffling still is Mary Lou Rosato’s Corinthian Woman, a Beckettian hobo, wearing a pilot hat and waving a fly swatter as she delivers the worried nurse’s introductory ramble that conveniently brings us up to date on all the soap-opera-ish goings on. Why not, à la Winnie in “Happy Days,” bury her up to her neck in a mound?

Only an academic reactionary would insist on hewing to more conventional stagecraft, especially since workable traditions for Greek tragedy have so far eluded us. A director is certainly within her rights to re-create the visual and aural palette of such a familiar canonical work as “Medea.” And to give credit where credit is due, Udovicki does conjure some marvelous shadowy effects with her lighting designer Lap-Chi Chu, and John Coleman’s sound design ominously melds with an exotic score performed by onstage musicians.

But the theatrical world, however audaciously constructed, shouldn’t regularly upstage itself — or it if does, it should have some thematic resonance. Udovicki’s tactics are, for the most part, too self-conscious to startle us into new ways of appreciating the text. With the exception of how she approaches Jason (Angus Macfadyen), normally portrayed as a shameless heel rather than a victim of his own sorry sexual opportunism, the production’s surprises are mostly interpretive duds.

“Medea” unfolds as a series of manipulations and confrontations. It requires an actress to be simultaneously fierce and cunning, for even when passion overwhelms Euripides’ protagonist, she’s still computing her retaliatory machinations, still concealing (as best she can) her rancorous intentions behind a thin facade of defenselessness.

Bening seeks to find the character’s human dimension, laying bare her vulnerability as a foreigner in a Greek land with a hesitancy of manner and speech. Despite the ghoulish wailing that precedes the actress’ entrance, it’s an inwardly directed performance in a play that requires robust theatrical and vocal command.

Medea’s touted shrewdness is never made convincing; nor is her prosecutorial fury. Most awkward are the moments when the staging compels Bening to amp up her acting. When Macfadyen’s Jason, resembling a lusty and somewhat trimmer cousin of Luciano Pavarotti, guiltily appears before her, Udovicki has her star toss a bucket of water to express a wife’s backlogged rage.

If that clichéd gesture engenders cathartic thrills, then you’ll no doubt love the fun house window revealing just what happens to Kreon and Jason’s little minx of a bride — a breach of classical decorum, which preferred the violence to be reported rather than depicted onstage, but very much in keeping with this production’s love of graphic flamboyance and obviousness.

-- Charles McNulty

"Medea." Freud Playhouse, UCLA, Westwood. 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays. Ends Oct. 18. $80 and $110. (310) 825-4401. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Photo: Top: Annette Bening and chorus. Bottom: Angus Macfadyen and Bening. Credit: Michael Lamont

Related story:

Annette Bening thinks Medea is a killer role

Comments

[Catherine]

I too had problems with the play, too, but for different reasons than McNulty. I was bewildered at the look chosen for Ms. Bening, (she looked more like Jamie Lee Curtis to me than Stevie Nicks) especially since the publicity promised a bewitching looking character with kohl rimmed eyes and a smoldering intensity. Bening did not smolder, she baled and barked. And because she lacked the tormented quality of a woman consumed by jealousy and outraged by her rejection, because she seemed too in command at all times I lost interest in her character and took more delight in the directorial staging. I agree the chorus looked like Janet Jackson clones but I was happy to hear them sing the lines and I was happy for the orchestra, it broke things up nicely. As for the bag lady played by Mary Lou Rosato, I didn't understand the choice but the last time I saw it (Zoe Caldwell) it was just a bunch of people in Roman togas orating, so I was again happy for the diversion. And Angus Macfadyen seemed like a real (if hateful) guy who just didn't get what the big deal was all about, he rang quite true to me. As for the set, it never crossed my mind that they were on a beach. It seemed incredibly sere to me, as if they were in Afghanistan or some place where woman are still truly chattel (even though they kept saying they were in Greece.) But you could take that exact same production and stick Helen Mirren in it, and many of my problems would have vanished. The center of the piece did not hold.

[Mikhail Tank]

I LIKED IT A LOT! I disagree with the overly-well written review, wherein the reviewer cares more about his own beautiful writing than seeing what the director and artists have created.

As an artist, and having played Dionysus at UC Davis – I see different.

Euripides wrote Medea, which won a prize at the Dionysia festival in 431 BC about a rare choice. In my view Medea is both the hero & the villain, and she is a woman who does things her way (even though her final choice is horrid) – all of these concepts are truly unique for the time period.

The stage was a canvas of desert, without time ruling. Ms. Bening was powerful, vulnerable, unafraid to pour water on herself, get dirty crawling through the sand in agony, even accidentally cutting her elbow at one point. She embodied agony, despair, deceit, cunning, a majestic quality and her voice carried through the auditorium.

The only choice I didn’t care for, were the children’s presents – electronics. I would much rather have preferred to see old or ageless toys, not ones that demarcate time.

All in all – for it’s boldness & brilliance (the long hair would have been too difficult to deal with due to the physical action) – I give this show an solid A.

[Robert W. T. Feindt]

I saw Judith Anderson's opening night in Robinson Jeffers "Medea" in 1948, the most thrilling experience I ever had as a member of an audience. John Gielgud played Jason, and Florence Reed, the Nurse. I remember that at Medea's entrance , heralded by off-stage cries of rage and anger, the audience was dead silent, which, for its time, was the greatest tribute - since stars entrances were always greeted with wild applause. One would not have dared interrupt her.
At the end of the play after countless curtain calls, Miss Anderson was seated, exhausted, on the steps, and when she hailed a box, we realized that Mr. Jeffers was there too. When the audience left the theatre we milled about in the street, blocking traffic fof over half an hour because we simply could not let go.
Prices at the Freud forbid my attending the current production, though I am
aware that this new version could hardly provide a renewed exultation.

[Huihua]

I agree with Mr. Robert W. T. Feindt that this production asks too much for admission.

I have been intrigued by this show ever since its production was first reported in the Times in summer. Having seen Ms. Bening in the unforgettable "Cherry Orchard" at the Mark Taper a few years ago, I could not wait to see how she takes on this classic role in modern staging. However, when I realized that admission was set at $80 and $110, I was about to give up.

Having read the critic's review and the other two people's comments, I really would like to experience the show first hand, but can not due to its high price.

I must question why UCLA, a public school subsidized by we the taxpayers, sets such high admission fees under the current economic climate, whereas Geffen, Mark Taper and Ahmanson all offer discount tickets starting at $20.

[Ben]

$80 and $110 are rather high, but UCLA Live productions are not funded by the university's budget but rather funded through ticket revenue and, importantly, donations from its "Center Circle."

Bening does play the part well for the most part, although sometimes she is just not enough presence for the lines. Short hair was definitely the better choice, giving further representation of the agony she felt before she made her presence, and it certainly would have tossed around too much, let alone rained sand after a few blockings, if it were long. I really liked the band and chorus; they made a nice addition that supported the mixed environment of the whole performance.

[Robert]

This review is almost on target. It was much worse than how its described. Bening whose film work I generally admire was simply atrocious. None of the actors had any merit. Sometimes good actors can make a piece worth seeing despite poor direction or conception of the work. Unfortunately, this piece failed on all counts. Well, the musicians seemed good.

Granted it is hard to bring the Greek classics alive on the modern stage, but it can be done and done wonderfully. The Medea directed by Stephen Novinski and directed by Paul Roche premiered and was simply great. The production I saw in Pasadena at Boston Court was terrific. Great acting combined with a great script and great direction. It's too bad the Medea at UCLALive had none of those elements.

[Sandra]

Mr. McNulty clearly wants togas and a boring, stodgy, unengaged production. I loved this show! The entire production has theatre and stragecraft deep in its bones. the last image is transcendent; Bening broke my heart at the end, carrying the corpses of the children. Unforgettable!

Finally, I think the set is less a beach than a partitioned war zone: the West Bank? Afghanistan?

[orson]

you're a eunuch with a death wish

a cynical perverse observer

tell us

whats it like sitting in the dark wishing you could

come into the light but

never

like a damned blind moth

being there

pounding your heavy carcass into the bulb of your frustrated desire

jumping on the heath ledger praise bandwagon

original, aren't you?

your words bring death, and in that realm you shall remain.

[Howard L]

Incredibly self-indulgent production. Annette Benning is way too internal & over psychologizes the part. There were interminable pauses throughout the dialogue, moments where I was literally afraid they would never start speaking again. The text is fierce & ironic & has so much to say about women, but midway through the production, I stopped listening.

And the ticket prices were exorbitant for what it was, seemed to be tied more to her star power than anything else. Prices should've been in line w/ other productions at the Freud.

[mc]

Mr. Feindt, I also remember Judith Anderson as Medea on TV around 1957 or thereabout. Her performance, which was a knock-out in every way, blew me away. However, I am about to see Ms. Bening's performance and will keep an open mind.

I envy you for being present at Anderson's live performance in London. You have captured the time and the ambience for me, and I want to thank you for it.

[mc]

I attended the performance last Friday night and I enjoyed the show very much. Yes, it could have been better, but to me it was a wonderful evening of theater. Miss Bening has done the best to her ability, and I was moved by her performance. That's the way she played it, and we must accept it; we should not expect her to be some other actress or wonder how other actresses would play it.

However, to be successful, a Medea should resolve two issues: 1. the depth of the hatred caused by Jason's betrayal, and 2. the horror of the murder of her two sons. These two issues are the core of the play which require an emotional conveyance, rather than just a calculating mind set. Judging by these two issues, the director has failed to deliver. She did not help Ms. Bening to explore the depth of that hatred, and she did not help her to express the horror of the murders. As a result, the catharsis was only partly realized.