Sandis Productions Present

An Oxford Student Production

Euripides' Hippolytus

Adapted and Directed by Elizabeth Belcher

Monday 16 May 2005 21.00, Theatre des Sablons

Rue des Sablons, Fontainbleau, France

Synopsis

Aphrodite, goddess of Love, seeks revenge on Hippolytus, son of Theseus, for failing to pay her due honours and dedicating himself entirely to her rival Artemis, the chaste goddess of the Hunt. She charges his stepmother, Phaedra, wife of Theseus, with an irresistible passion for her stepson, Hippolytus. Overwhelmed and consumed by this passion, Phaedra can stand it no longer and unburdens herself to her nurse. The nurse, well-intentioned but foolish, tells Hippolytus of Phaedra’s love and he, shocked and appalled, rejects and denounces the women. Phaedra, horrified by Hippolytus’ reaction, hangs herself, attaching a note to her wrist accusing her stepson of rape. Theseus returns to a broken home, his wife dead and dishonoured, and his son the culprit of the crime. He instantly condemns Hippolytus and, deaf to any protestations, requests that his tutelary god, Poseidon, should have the young man killed. He discovers only too late, as his son lies dying in his arms, the truth of Hippolytus’ innocence. The play ends in devastation; dead bodies litter the stage and those who are not dead weep for those they have lost while the gods remain unharmed and untouched by the tragedy.

CAST

Hippolytus: Finn Carew

Chorus: Wen-Chuan Dai & Jessie Munton

Aphrodite/Phaedra: Caroline Brown

Artemis/Nurse: Jairus Obayomi

Theseus/Servant/Lute player: Peter Jones

CREW

Wardrobe Mistress: Pippa Needs

Stage Management: Sarah Carr

Musical Consultant: Peter Jones