When the play began Monday night, imagine my surprise when the actor portraying Orestes was young man who (in my opinion) did not project his voice appropriately to convey the power his character ought to have possessed. Compared to the actress playing Electra, Orestes left something to be desired. Yes, he was funny and witty, but he seemed to lack the authority I was expecting. The main reason for this discrepancy between my expectations and experience was due to an issue in delivery.
The way Orestes presented himself and his task at the start of the story created in my mind an image of a strong and powerful man. The god Phoebus told him he would go "alone, and by stealth, without aid of arms or numbers, [to] snatch the righteous vengeance of [his] hand". I pictured a man empowered by prophecy, one who has been patiently waiting his chance to avenge the blood of his household. My expectation was not met as the actor in my mind came off "too" humorous, too nonchalant, too silly. His delivery also seemed to lack passion, when pitted against the performance of Electra. This could be attributed to my personal preference, the acting experience of the two actors, my position in the audience, etc.
The point I'm trying to make is that delivery can make or break a play. I don't want to sound too harsh; I enjoyed the play and it was a fun and enriching experience. However, I also feel it important to stress that these performances were written just for that purpose: to be performed, either in oral tradition or in the theater. I would be interested to hear how the expectations of those who viewed the play compare with mine, or even those who listen to the radio version/watched the black and white video.
I actually noticed the same thing as I watched the film. Orestes was a lot more of a "pretty boy" than I expected him to be, although he wasn't portrayed as silly as you described him in the play. On the contrary, his mannerisms and the other aspects of his delivery distracted me enough to forget about his appearance a lot of the time.
ReplyDeleteI actually noticed the same thing as I watched the film. Orestes was a lot more of a "pretty boy" than I expected him to be, although he wasn't portrayed as silly as you described him in the play. On the contrary, his mannerisms and the other aspects of his delivery distracted me enough to forget about his appearance a lot of the time.
ReplyDeleteWhen I listened to the play I definitely went in with the expectation that because this was a Greek tragedy, the odds were that the characters would be whiny and hard to listen to. At first, the radio drama met this expectation with flying colors, but I came to grips with it because the delivery was powerful, but appropriate for all characters. The delivery matched the intensity of the circumstances.
ReplyDeleteWhen I listened to the play I definitely went in with the expectation that because this was a Greek tragedy, the odds were that the characters would be whiny and hard to listen to. At first, the radio drama met this expectation with flying colors, but I came to grips with it because the delivery was powerful, but appropriate for all characters. The delivery matched the intensity of the circumstances.
ReplyDeleteYou would think that the Greeks would be rolling in their graves if they saw how the play was performed. Electra had passion I'll give you that, but everyone else tried to be TOO funny or too lax in comparison.
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