Faculty and students from Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) will present this week the Greek tragedy Medea in co-operation with Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum (QOSM) and The Youth Company. The play is part of QOSM’s exhibition, Olympics -Past & Present.

NU-Q dean and CEO Everette E Dennis said the collaboration with QOSM “makes important connections between the university and local cultural institutions, to the extent that this connects a classic play with appreciation for theatre and acting, all the better”.

For Dr Christian Wacker, director, QOSM, the co-operation is a perfect match and explains that the “modern Olympic Games would never have been possible without the discovery of ancient Olympia and the legacy of ancient Greek culture. The Greeks regarded competition as an integral part of their lives and competed not only in sports, but also in philosophy and theatre play. Therefore, it seems to be more than logical to host the ancient drama Medea as part of the cultural programme for the exhibition, Olympics - Past & Present”.

The Greek classic play by Euripides, which will be performed on three consecutive nights, will premiere today. It is directed by NU-Q associate professor Ann Woodworth, who has taught acting for 30 years on the university’s home campus in Evanston. She has worked as an actress, director and teacher in the US and abroad, including with La Compania Nacional in Caracas, Venezuela, and the British American Drama Academy in Oxford,
England.

Woodworth said when she accepted QOSM’s invitation to direct a Greek tragedy in Doha, many people asked her “why would she take on such a monumental task”? “As some of the NU-Q students in my acting classes reminded me, it was an opportunity to create awareness for theatre here in Qatar, something we all believed in. I then discovered other students, faculty, staff and Doha residents who were also enthusiastic. I chose Euripides’ Medea because my students had studied it and the story still resonates today,” she recalled. “Greek tragedy puts focus not only on the bizarre and horrific actions of people, but also on why they would take it upon themselves to act in these ways.”

The play is based on the ancient story of Medea, a mother of two boys, whose husband Jason has abandoned her for another woman. Moved by fury, she plots the annihilation of all that Jason holds dear on his wedding day. The performance is part of a series of events surrounding QOSM’s exhibition, which displays the history of both the ancient and modern Olympic Games.

Public auditions were held for various roles in the play. Several students and faculty members at NU-Q were selected for the various parts, including the lead role of Medea, which is played by Meriem Mesraoua – a senior in the communication programme at NU-Q with a minor in theatre.

Meriem is also an aspiring Qatari actor and filmmaker. She participated in the Richard’s Rampage project with Kevin Spacey Foundation, performing at the Foundation Launch Gala in New York, as well as in NU-Q’s Arab Awakenings in Doha and Chicago in 2012. 

“I’m delighted to see the broad collaboration in this production between NU-Q faculty, staff, students and the larger Doha community, involving both professionals and amateurs,” said Dennis. “I’m confident that the play will give the Qatari public a glimpse of the cultural tensions in ancient Greek society, which are startlingly contemporary and relevant today.”

Aya Abu Issa, acting CEO,  The Youth Company, said: “We are always keen to back pioneering and innovative initiatives in the country, especially those that engage youth. The Youth Company is honoured to support QO SM and NU-Q to realise the project and ensure maximum participation of the young generation.”

 

 

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