Medea's Children
A small history of theatre and a school of life as cruel as it is poetic.
With Medea’s Children, Milo Rau takes a new, deep look at the role of children in theatre. A real criminal case is the starting point: the case of a mother who, in total despair after a separation, decides to kill her children and take her own life - but she survives. This modern tragedy is interweaved with the classical tragedy Medea, the most infamous case of relationship conflict and infanticide in Western literature.
Run time 90 minuten
Genre theatre
Language Dutch
Surtitles English
Dutch opening night Fri May 10
In Gesprek Fri May 10
Please note this performance contains scenes that directly or indirectly reference suicide, infanticide, pedophilia and includes scenes with fake blood.
Medea's Children
A group of children take this bloody crime case and perhaps the darkest origin narrative of European culture as an opportunity to reflect on themselves: on family history, first love and first encounters with death, on desires for the future and fears of the end of the world that haunts us all. How does a child deal with the divorce of its parents? With injustice, the breaking of friendships, the pressure at school? How do they deal with the radical power of Medea – with tragedy in general?
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The children, condemned to silence in the classical tragedies, finally have their say this time around. Medea’s Children: the absurd and blood-drenched tragedies of adult life seen through the eyes of children – a small history of theatre and a school of life as cruel as it is poetic.
In the press
De Morgen
"An unbearable masterpiece."
De Volkskrant
"A blood-curdling, jet-black tragedy"
Nieuwsblad
"Even those who are familiar with Rau will be surprised."
In Gesprek
After the performance, come and think, listen and chat at In Gesprek. We invite a guest to further explore the themes of Medea's Children and to exchange experiences. If you have any questions, this is the perfect time to ask them. In Gesprek is free of charge and starts shortly after the performance in one of our foyers, is conducted in Dutch and lasts about half an hour.
Credits
direction Milo Rau
dramaturgy Kaatje De Geest
video design Moritz von Dungern
light design Dennis Diels
costume design Jo De Visscher
production NTGent
coproduction Wiener Festwochen, ITA - Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Tandem - Scène nationale (Arras Douai)
-|-with Peter Seynaeve / Lien Wildemeersch, Jade Versluys / Bernice Van Walleghem, Gabriël El Houari / Aiko Benaouisse, Emma Van de Casteele / Helena Van de Casteele, Sanne De Waele / Ella Brennan, Anna Matthys / Juliette Debackere, Vik Neirinck / Elias Maes
