Why, what could she have done, being what she is? Was there another Troy for her to burn?
W. B. Yeats
Andromache
Written by Jean Racine
Performed in English
British Première
1984–1985
An alliance of Greek States has laid siege to Troy after years of trying to retrieve Helen, wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta. Each side has lost its best warrior. Prince Hector of Troy has been killed and his widow, Andromache, has fallen under the control of King Pyrrhus.
Andromache has saved her son, Astyanax, by a trick. He is the last surviving male member of the Royal House of Troy. Pyrrhus, betrothed to Hermione, falls in love with his prisoner Andromache…
Andromache was Racine’s third play to be performed. Today it is regarded as one of the greatest achievements in French theatre.
Produced by Cheek by Jowl. Translated by David Bryer. The British première performance of Andromache was given by Cheek by Jowl at the Paxton Suite, Buxton on 9th August 1984.
“Racine stripped of heroic gesture, heightened delivery and played in idiomatic prose is a startling novelty, and Declan Donnellan’s production justifies it up to the hilt.”
The Times
Name | Character |
---|---|
Duncan Bell | Pyrrhus |
Andrew Collins | Orestes |
Simon Dormandy | Pylades |
Deirdre Edwards | Cleone |
Amanda Harris | Andromache |
Sadie Shimmin | Hermione |
Martin Turner | Phoenix |
Anne White | Cephisa |
Role | Name |
---|---|
Director | Declan Donnellan |
Designer | Nick Ormerod |
Costume Designers | Kim Kenny & Nick Ormerod |
Set Building | Square Peg |
Costume Makers | Kim Kenny & Judy Lloyd Rogers |
Company Stage Manager | Nick Kidd |
Company Movement | Ilan Reichel |
Company Voice | Charmian Hoare |
Date (first performance) | Location | No. of performances |
---|---|---|
21 January 1985 | London, Donmar Warehouse, England | 7 |
4 December 1984 | Norwich, Arts Centre, England | 2 |
1 December 1984 | Burton Upon Trent, Technical College, England | 1 |
29 November 1984 | Rugby, Macready Theatre, England | 1 |
27 November 1984 | Oswestry, Leisure Centre, England | 1 |
30 October 1984 | Chipping Norton, The Theatre, England | 2 |
18 October 1984 | Canterbury, Gulbenkian Theatre, England | 3 |
16 October 1984 | Hemel Hempstead, Old Town Hall, England | 2 |
12 October 1984 | Epsom, Playhouse, England | 1 |
11 October 1984 | Loughborough, Charnwood Theatre, England | 1 |
10 October 1984 | Loughborough, Burleigh Community College, England | 1 |
3 October 1984 | Coleraine, Riverside Theatre, N Ireland | 2 |
28 September 1984 | Shrewsbury, Sixth Form College, England | 2 |
22 September 1984 | Fareham, Drama Centre, England | 1 |
17 September 1984 | King’s Lynn, Fermoy Centre, England | 2 |
24 August 1984 | Glasgow, Tron Theatre, Scotland | 1 |
9 August 1984 | Buxton, Paxton Suite, England | 3 |
Olivier Award – Most Promising Newcomer of the Year in Theatre
1985 – Cheek by Jowl for Andromache, Pericles and Vanity Fair at the Donmar Warehouse
“Racine in modern dress we have seen before. Racine stripped of heroic gesture, heightened delivery and played in idiomatic prose is a startling novelty, and Declan Donnellan’s production justifies it up to the hilt.”
The Times
“It says much for the young Cheek by Jowl company at the Donmar Warehouse that they held their audience silent and spellbound with the stylized decorum of play by Jean Racine, notoriously the least accessible dramatist to English ears…Thrilling…Declan Donnellan’s direction stealthily produces an electrifying effect.”
The Daily Telegraph
“The value, originality and excellence of their stage work is such that I am passionately convinced they could do the Peking telephone directory and make it charismatic.”
The Chronicle
“Declan Donnellan’s direction stealthily produces an electrifying effect.”
The Daily Telegraph
W. B. Yeats