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Andromaque

Andromaque

Written by Jean Racine
Performed in French
2007–2009

The Trojan War ended in a blaze of shame, a massacre of horrific proportions. Now the children of Troy’s Greek conquerors face the impossible task of living up to their immortalised parents. Hector’s widow, Andromaque, lives only to save her son. When the Greeks demand his surrender, she is given an appalling dilemma. Racine exposes our capacity for self deception with lacerating clarity.

 Produced by C.I.C.T / Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in a co-production with Théâtre du Nord, Lille and Cheek by Jowl.

The first performance of Andromaque was at Théâtre du Nord, Lille on 4 October 2007.

“Remarkable audacity… absolute clarity… Donnellan is one of the most original directors in theatre today”

Le Figaro
Cast and creative team

Cast

NameCharacter
Camille CayolAndromaque
Christophe GrégoirePyrrhus
Camille JapyHermione
Xavier BoiffierOreste
Romain CottardPylade
Dominique CharpentierCéphise
Cécile LetermeCléone
Vincent de BouardPhoenix
Sylvain LevitteAstyanax

Creative Team

RoleName
DirectorDeclan Donnellan
DesignerNick Ormerod
Lighting DesignerJudith Greenwood
Movement DirectorJane Gibson
Music and SoundMarc-Oliver Dupin
Sound DesignLe Quatuor Beat
Assistant DirectorMichelangelo Marchese
Costume SupervisorSylvie Martin-Hyszka
VoiceValérie Bezançon
Hair and WigsSéverine Martin
Make-upPaula Parra
Previous performances

Previous Performances

DateLocation
6–9 May 2009Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre, UK
22 April–2 May 2009London, Barbican, UK
1–4 April 2009Newcastle–upon–Tyne, Northern Stage, UK
25–28 March 2009Cambridge, Cambridge Arts Theatre, UK
18–21 March 2009Southampton, Nuffield Theatre, UK
10–14 March 2009Oxford, Oxford Playhouse, UK
7–24 October 2008Strasbourg, Théatre National de Strasbourg, France
1–4 October 2008Sceaux, Les Gémeaux, Paris, France
25–27 September 2008Ales, Le Cratère–Scène Nationale d’Alès, France
17–20 September 2008Barcelona, National Theatre, Spain
19–20 May 2008Chalons–en–Champagne, La Comète, France
14 May 2008Amiens, Maison de la Culture, France
10–11 May 2008Almagro, Almagro Festival, Spain
21–22 March 2008Gap, La Passerelle, France
13 March 2008Namur, Théatre Royal, Belgium
11–12 March 2008Brussels, Le Wolubilis, Belgium
8 March 2008Béziers, Sortie Ouest, France
4–5 March 2008Petit–Quevilly, Scene Nationale, France
26–27 February 2008Blois, La Halle aux Grain, France
18–23 February 2008Geneva, La Comédie, Switzerland
13–15 February 2008Cergy–Pontoise, L’Apostrophe, France
5–9 February 2008Grenoble, MC2, France
23–28 January 2008Caen, Théatre Municipal, France
15–19 January 2008Évreux–Louviers, Théatre Grand Forum, France
11–12 January 2008Brétigny sur Orge, Théatre de Bretigny, France
12–19 December 2007Marseille, Théatre la Criée, France
6 November–8 December 2007Paris, Théatre des Bouffes du Nord, France
29–30 October 2007Turin, Teatro Astra, Italy
23–26 October 2007Rheims, Comedie de Reims, France
16–20 October 2007Bordeaux, Théatre National de Bordeaux, France
4–12 October 2007Lille, Théatre du Nord, France
Reviews

Reviews

“Remarkable audacity… Absolute clarity…Donnellan is one of the most original directors in theatre today”

Le Figaro

“The most anticipated theatrical event of the year… Angry ghosts emerge from dark corners to unleash the pain, raw anger and denial that are bolted into Racine’s tidy rhymes like cluster bombs in the sheath of a shiny artillery shell”

The Guardian

“A thrilling sense of hurtling disaster… If any company was going to breathe compelling dramatic life into this elegant, chilly French stylist with his impeccable rhyming Alexandrine couplets, it was those international maestros Cheek by Jowl. A magnifique evening.”

The Evening Standard

“It’s hard to imagine Andromaque being more fiery or more precise than it is in Cheek by Jowl’s superb production. The lethal loop of these lovers is staged with a stripped-down intensity that mirrors the spareness of Racine’s verse.”

The Observer
Production photo
Photograph: Keith Pattison
Production photo
Photograph: Keith Pattison
Production photo
Photograph: Keith Pattison

“Angry ghosts emerge from dark corners to unleash the pain, raw anger and denial that are bolted into Racine’s tidy rhymes like cluster bombs in the sheath of a shiny artillery shell”

The Guardian

Below the smouldering walls of Troy, the bloody victors divided up their spoils.

Pyrrhus

So, if I can’t love you with passion,
I must hate you with fury.

Andromaque

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