Recalled and reimagined from the fantastical minds of her slain children, Medea: Out of the Mouths of Babes is Theatre Works’ latest premiere production, drawn from Euripides’ famous tale. Developed with children and performed by adults, this new Australian work is a seriously playful tragedy.
With most presentations of the Medea myths, the framework positions Medea and Jason and as those who sacrificed and lost the most. But this consistent oversight ignores the very obvious fact that it was the children who suffered the greatest. They lost their parents, their futures, and their lives.
Medea: Out of the Mouths of Babes doesn’t erase the experience of the adult characters, but it does shift the focus onto the experience of the young ones – those who are all too often weaponised in adult arguments and left without a voice of their own.
Arguably one of the darkest tales in the Western theatrical canon, this age-old story is given a fresh and surprisingly playful rebirth. Developed by a council of five children (aged 6-10) and Theatre Works’ award-winning creative team, Medea: Out of the Mouths of Babes is a compelling new Australian work told from the point of view of two of its undoubtedly most important characters; Medea’s children.
Playing out like a surreal living music video with film projection, live feed, and song, Medea: Out of the Mouths of Babes looks to be a dynamic and compelling addition to the Victorian Arts Calendar. Also playing as a part of the 2022 VCE Drama Playlist, the work strives to be an incredibly entertaining and evocative production for young and old audiences alike.
History is told by the victors, and myths preserved by those in power, but perhaps it is the youngest that grip the hardest truths?
One of Australia’s longest-running independent theatres, Theatre Works is constantly reinvigorating and reimagining the sector by providing a hotbed for artist and audience development. They strive to champion artists and work that embraces difference and celebrates risk, working to provide a platform for marginalised conversations and voices.
July 30 – August 20
