Whats compelling to you about the Medea myth?
Jessie Marshall: Its depiction of women and of mothers is why I think it’s so relevant. Women today are depicted as either mothers or sex objects. Monica Lewinsky is the most obvious example. You also have Anita Hill, Lorena Bobbit, the list goes on. Women’s notoriety always seems to be tied to their sexuality. We can’t help but be affected by these representations of ourselves. TW: Do you think Medea is particularly relevant to contemporary culture, as opposed to say, Helen of Troy or other mythological figures? JM: She really appealed to me because she took control of her situation. Helen of Troy caused a war accidentally. Medea commited this incredibly powerful act of killing her children. I wanted to explore why anyone would make that choice, which really is self-sacrificing. TW: Would you say this production attempts something akin to the recent Romeo and Juliet film, placing an archaic tale in a self-consciously modern context? JM: I would. Though, Baz Luhrmann was telling the st
