Farber's Molora heads for London
4 April 2008Molora, a new production by South African director Yael Farber, based on the Greek Oresteia trilogy and featuring a chorus of Xhosa tribeswomen who perform the ancient art of split tone singing, is headed for London's Barbican theatre in April.
In Farber's reworking of Aeschylus' tragedy, mother and daughter Klytemnestra and Elektra face one another in a dramatic confrontation. Their attempts to come to terms with their violent past echo the testimonies delivered in the wake of apartheid all over South Africa as part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
The story is interlaced with music from a chorus of Xhosa tribeswomen from the Nqgoko Cultural Group, their mesmerizing sound bringing grace and beauty to a shocking tale.
"With resonances to today's 'war on terror', Farber presents a profound inquiry into the compelling human impulse for revenge," the Barbican says on its website.
Farber's previous production at the Barbican, Amajuba Like Doves We Rise, received outstanding critical acclaim and later transferred to the Criterion Theatre.
Her other past credits include SeZaR, a South African Julius Caesar (Oxford Playhouse, 2002); A Woman in Waiting (winner of numerous awards, including a Fringe First and a Sony Drama Award for the radio adaptation); and Shopping and Fucking (South Africa) which also won numerous awards.
Molora, produced by The Farber Foundry in association with Oxford Playhouse, runs at the Barbican from 9 to 19 April. Tickets can be booked 24 hours a day through the Barbican's secure online ticketing system.
The Farber Foundry was established to address the stories of South Africa's past. Molora was originally produced in association with The Market Theatre in Johannesburg.
SAinfo reporter
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