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Electra Votes

nytheatre.com review by Josephine Cashman
August 15, 2005

Electra Votes, written by Sheila Morgan and directed by Rhonda Dodd is a re-telling of story of Electra, Orestes and Chrysothemis and how they avenge their father’s death by killing their mother Clytemnestra and her lover Agiesthos. The playwright and director combine this ancient Greek tragedy with the current wars and politics of the 21st century, and sadly, these themes do not combine gracefully. Between scenes of Electra plotting her revenge and bringing her brother and sister into her plans, a screen acts as the Greek Chorus to comment. It flashes images of the bloody and violent war in Iraq and the terrorist bombings of London and juxtaposes them with various images of Michael Jackson, Princess Diana, and other media figures. While these images are effectively and brutally compiled and edited, they confuse rather than highlight the action onstage.The sound design by Stephen Riscica is spare but effective and excellent, as is the fight choreography by Brad Lemons and Dan Rankin. Clytemnestra’s death is fierce and powerful, and the eastern rhythms and whistle of a cold and unforgiving wind are haunting.The acting is good, especially Richard Maddox as Orestes and Cidele Curo as Clytemnestra. But the dialogue is swamped with strident political speeches that at times impairs the actors’ ability to connect with one another. Then there are times, as when Orestes and Electra bond over the loss that war and corruption brings, that the actors light up the stage and the scene is quite touching. Unfortunately, the playwright’s fiery political agenda seems to get in the way of the story and sometimes it appears that Electra and Orestes are almost as bad as the mother they are trying to overthrow. “Evil demands evil” is a phrase that is often repeated throughout the play, and it seems to indicate that it’s okay to be as monstrous as one wishes, as long as “God is on our side, not theirs.”The play is most successful when it focuses on the family dynamic among the members of the cursed House of Atreus. All its members have cast their vote and taken their sides before the play even begins, and watching them play out their personal vendettas is enthralling. Regrettably, the script’s weaknesses hamper an otherwise energetic and passionate effort by all involved.