How About That Chorus

I just finished watching Electra, and I was pleased that they had kept it relatively simple. A large majority of the play had to be visualized by words, since much of the world they were trying to create was not given to us onstage. This is why I felt that the narration was such a necessary part of this script.

If there was no narration incorporated into this script, it would be quite difficult to understand anything that is going on. The three that played the part of the chorus women from Mycenae I think were essential to the performance. The narration provided by Electra and Orestes is completely vital, but I want to focus my post on the three chorus women. 

If you were to take away the three women all that would be left is Electra onstage for a majority of the performance.. I'm not quite sure how you feel about listening to a constant string of monologue, but for me it can get a bit difficult to handle. I felt that the delivery used by Electra seemed a bit difficult to understand at times, but the women either with their scripted words, or with their body language helped set the kiros. To clarify, when Electra was torn at the thought of Orestes being dead, she had a few times when I wasn't sure if she was happy or sad, or simply mad. As I put focus on the three women, they helped me understand the extreme pain Electra was facing. As her friends, they, better than anyone else, knew what she was going through, and the anguish she felt. 

Although they only played a small speaking role, the things the women from Mycenae said and did, I thought were vital to allowing the story to be told.