The Cosumnes River College Theatre and Dance Department opened their production of Sophocles’s classic Greek tragedy “Electra” on Friday night in the Black Box Theatre.
The plot of the play centers on the bitter struggle for justice by the titular character Electra and her brother Orestes for the murder of their father, leading to the vengeance they took on their mother and stepfather.
Directed by adjunct art professor Janey Pintar, the performance had a futuristic adaptation. Rather than set in Ancient Greece, this take on the play was set in 2050.
Some of the costumes varied from a modern feel to a futuristic or post-apocalyptic feel. For example, one character’s jacket looked like a hybrid of the jacket from the “Mad Max” films and also the 1984 film “Dune.”
While one may have to look closely, two characters had metal arm braces as they were shown coming out of their jacket sleeves.
The costumes and set were designed to fit with the play’s time period, giving it a dystopian and space-age feel. There were city skyline projections to add to the setting’s aesthetic as well as weather effects projected when a storm was depicted in a scene.
In addition to the weather effects, pre-recorded videos were used as flashbacks, accompanied by music to add to the emotional feel of the scene.
The cast did a great job with their performances. The performance of Electra, played by Macie Utile displayed a level of emotion that mixed grief and vengeance. It was the kind of emotion that would be expected when dealing with the loss of someone who has passed away.
One scene had Electra arguing with her mother Clytemnestra, played by Faye Crook and when the focus was placed on Clytemnestra, she delivered a monologue. If one looked closely at the other characters on stage, Electra displayed heavy emotion.
Three actors did well as the chorus when they spoke in unison to explain what was going on between Electra and Clytemnestra. Those moments added tension to the scenes.
It felt like the majority of the story was told and shown in this condensed and futuristic two-act take of the original play. The costumes, set and effects worked well with the aesthetic of the time period and setting.
It was interesting to see a different adaptation of a classic play with its own spin on the story. Overall, this take on “Electra” was exceptional and is well worth anyone’s time.
Tickets can be found HERE.