On Friday 30th June, our Classics department took the GCSE Greek students to a double bill of the new, much acclaimed Greek and Persia exhibition at the British Museum, and the Kings’ College, London, production of Iphigenia.

In just four hours, our Year 10 students, who study Greek off-timetable, from scratch to GCSE, in just two years, explored centuries of the early Western history and thinking, considering the cyclical nature of violence and conflict, yet also the problems associated with peace and prosperity.

Year 10 Alex D’s review of Iphigenia

The performance of Iphigenia at King’s College did offer ‘a fresh perspective on the multiple moral dilemmas that are so central to the girl’s mythical life’, as well as posing more questions to the audience predominantly about war and how we approach conflict in the modern world. However, what the play did that was the most striking, was convey the power that Iphigenia held. She was the one to sacrifice herself, rather than being forced to, which changed the tone of her marriage and meant that her inevitable tragic ending was simultaneously empowering. The character questioned the system that she is born into, and did not use violence to end the war, she instead used her actions. This completely juxtaposed what the male characters were doing at the same time, as Agamemnon and Menelaus spent the majority of their time on stage debating and considering what they were going to do, without actually doing anything at all. It was this that was particularly enjoyable to watch, as it completely changed the story to one of female empowerment. In addition to this, the characters appear to be aware of the previous story of Iphigenia, with multiple being ‘visited’ by versions of the characters in masks, which makes it even more interesting as they act, knowing what the outcome will most likely be.

Furthermore, another thing that the play did particularly effectively was the incorporation of Ancient Greek and English dialogue, switching between both regularly, to highlight certain scenes. For example, the director said that it was ‘vital’ that Iphigenia spoke in Greek in her final few lines, to emphasise the new beginning after the war and the incredible decision that Iphigenia makes on her own. Moreover, the lighting and sound in the play was another integral part of the overall mood, with eerie notes and songs playing in the background. In scenes where the characters appear to be having dreams or visions, the director utilised dark green lighting, which was very effective in ‘setting the scene’, and making the audience be on the edge of their seats every time a character with a mask appeared on the stage.

In conclusion, the performance of Iphigenia was not only fascinating and enjoyable to watch,  it also posed many new and ‘fresh’ questions to the audience, and provided a feminist view, while still paying homage to the original story.