Medea (1983)

Medea (Zoe Caldwell) is in Corinth with Jason (Mitchell Ryan) and their two young sons. King Kreon wants to reward Jason for his exploits: he gives the hand of his daughter, Glauce, to Jason.

Director:

Mark Cullingham

Writers:

Euripides (play), Robinson Jeffers (English translation)

Stars:

Zoe Caldwell, Judith Anderson, Mitchell Ryan

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Cast overview:
Zoe Caldwell	...	Medea
Judith Anderson	...	Nurse
Mitchell Ryan	...	Jason
Jacqueline Brookes	...	1st Woman of Corinth
Paul Sparer	...	Creon
Peter Brandon	...	Aegeus
Harriet Nichols	...	2nd Woman
Giulia Pagano	...	3rd Woman
Don McHenry	...	The Tutor
Stephen Garvin	...	Child
Christopher Garvin	...	Child
Lucien Douglas	...	Slave
John Peters	...	Attendant
Alan Thompson	...	Attendant
Mark Leone	...	Attendant

Storyline

Medea (Zoe Caldwell) is in Corinth with Jason (Mitchell Ryan) and their two young sons. King Kreon wants to reward Jason for his exploits: he gives the hand of his daughter, Glauce, to Jason.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | mother murders own child | medea character | jason character | creon character | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Final screen appearance by Peter Brandon (Aegeus).

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Quotes

Medea: Then if you had a dogged eyed enemy and needed absolute vengeance, you'd kill the man's children first, unchild him then unlife him.

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Connections

Version of Medea (1988)

User Reviews

You will want to see this often, but not on Mother's Day

This is the U of Tenn/Kennedy Center production of 1982. Jeffers' translation is as evocative as any I've heard for the Greek plays. I was perpetually stunned by its power. Caldwell's performance burns at white heat beginning to end. I saw Mitch Ryan hold his own against James Earl Jones in play after play in the sixties and seventies, from Baal at the Martinique, to Coriolanus at Papp's Theater to The Great White Hope, but Caldwell turns him into Ralph Bellamy. All he can do on this is what he's told to do. Competently but outclassed. Pleasure also to see Judith Anderson at her most neoclassical. The entire cast is strong. Robert Whitehead's work as the stage director is manifest in their uniform quality. It's all Euripides, of course. And I am grateful for this reminder of who and what he was, and how alive his work and his ideas remain.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Filming Locations:

Eisenhower Theatre, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - 2700 F Street NW, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Q Productions Corporation, WQED

Technical Specs

Color:

Color