Electra in the Forest of Oma

With Agamemnon dead and his rival Aegisthus installed beside Clytemnestra on the throne of Argos, all that remains of the former king is the forest of Oma, planted at his birth on the outskirts of the city. But even this legacy is too much for the new Argive rulers: a chorus of men is sent to destroy every last tree. Returning from exile, the former royal advisor Demodocus finds an Argos unrecognisable to the one he left behind, and a plantation of spiritual significance on the verge of disappearance. But he also finds one woman willing to fight for Agamemnon’s legacy: grieving for her father, outraged at the new royal match, and longing for the return of her brother Orestes, the brave Electra risks her own life to keep the forest standing. But chained to a tree, exposed to the elements and to Aegisthus’ fury, and with her mind and body struggling to survive, how long can she hold out?

The rehearsed reading is part of, Making New Worlds from Old: The Translation and Transference of Ancient Mythology into Contemporary Hispanic Theatre (and Beyond) presented by King’s College London in association with Language Acts and Worldmaking, Out of the Wings, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and Foreign Affairs.

For full details please visit the Language Acts and Worldmaking website.