Medea
at Bullis School

Reviewed on October 28, 2017

Neha Sinha
The Madeira School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

A lost love, an unquenchable thirst for vengeance, and a bloodstained tunic whirl together and transport you to the tragic world of Ancient Greece in The Bullis School's Medea.

This classic Greek play written by Euripides in 430 BC is set in the city of Corinth. It was first performed at the City Dionysia festival in Greece, and today it is considered one of the most monumental plays in history. This show follows the story of Medea who is demolished emotionally after her husband, Jason, abandons her and her two sons. She had previously assisted him with his heroic voyages specifically the one to find the Golden Fleece. Jason leaves her to marry Glauce, daughter of the king of Corinth, in hopes of a higher social standing. This leads to a downward spiral for Medea as she sets out on her vengeful path, eventually taking the lives of her sons.

The complexity of the plot and characters in this script is difficult to carry out, but was done so very successfully by this cast. Tamia Haskins's performance as Medea was enthralling and captured both her dark, anger-driven side as well and her somber, sorrowful side exquisitely. Opposing her as the heroic soldier, William Evans (Jason) did a fantastic job showcasing the growth of his character through the show. His change from strong and hopeful to enraged and dismal highlights the tragic turn of events.

An impressive aspect of this show was the amount of teamwork in the separate "ensemble" groups. The Soldiers (Mingyang He, Justin Kelly) existed as one with such elegance and gave Jason increased strength and support. The Women of Corinth (Siena McKnight, Danielle Clayton, Maddie Mancusco) worked together brilliantly to create an ensemble that helped carry the show. Their synchronization and communication with each other throughout the play added another dimension to the events that occurred. The Women and The Nurse (Sydney Smith) also jointly supported Medea while successfully conveying their own complex characters. The way all came together at the end to deliver the final words to the audience was especially moving and powerful.

The technical aspects beautifully tied this play together. The set was not changed throughout the show, but consisted of one piece that was massive and very well constructed. The snakes were incredibly impressive and eye-catching. Lighting design in this show was brilliant and well timed. The lighting design enhanced the mood of the scenes and helped the audience know what to focus on. The costumes assisted in establishing the setting and period and gave a little bit of insight into the personality of the characters—even before they spoke.

Through the exquisite characters and magnificent storytelling, The Bullis School wove together a performance more stunning and complex than the Golden Fleece itself.

Ward LeHardy
Washington-Lee High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Is it ever wise to put revenge over love, or intervene when evil looms? Bullis school's innovative production of Medea asks the audience to critique and ultimately fix the way we handle evil and wrongdoing within society.

Originally written by Ancient Greek playwright Euripides, Medea has stood as the paragon of Greek theater, and has been studied and analyzed for centuries. It tells the cruel tale of Medea, a lunatic mother who turns to vengeance after discovering the infidelities of her husband, Jason. Bullis school explores the nature of good vs. evil and the price of revenge in this gripping production.

Tamia Haskins in the titular role commanded the stage. Haskins had a way of portraying emotion well beyond her high school years, and her character choices as Medea accentuated her descent into vengeance and madness as Jason's infidelity weighed on her mind. Haskins took her own unique approach to the eponymous character, harnessed the melancholy nature behind Medea's actions, and used that as motivation for her revenge. There were, at one point, genuine tears streaming down the actress's face, giving authenticity to her weighty monologues. Haskins gave a powerful performance that won't soon be forgotten.

An ensemble, comprised of the three women of Corinth, was also moving. Typically, classic Greek theater is comprised of a chorus that generally narrates the action taking place before the audience. The three women of Corinth, as played by Siena McKnight, Danielle Clayton, and Maddie Mancusco, took up this role and then some in three distinct and sensational performances. Virtually onstage the entire span of the play, this ensemble kept face and stayed in character throughout, making sure to always react at whatever Medea was plotting next.

The technical aspects of the production were magnificent, exceeding the expected level of a typical high school play. The set, beautifully designed and constructed by a team of Bullis students, consisted of a crumbling façade of Medea's house, complete with two swinging doors guarded by two beautifully crafted serpents that snaked their way up columns. The decaying designs were inspired by Medea and Jason's disintegrating marriage, evident in the off-color walls and cracks within the exterior. Also stunning were the costumes, designed by performers Tamia Haskins and Siena McKnight. Showing off a well-researched portrayal of Ancient Greek attire, the costumes were carefully hand-crafted and gracefully flowed with the characters as they travelled across the stage.

Bullis School's striking production of Medea left a powerful impression on the audience, and asked us what we should do next. The performance begged us to act, to stop evil in its tracks before it could erupt in carnage. One can only hope that unlike the characters that surround Medea, we may recognize evil in its infancy and stop it before it tears the world apart. Bullis portrayed these powerful themes in a truly emotional and spectacular production.

Natalie Baumeister
J.E.B. Stuart High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

A woman's harsh scream slices through tranquil music. The source soon steps onto the stage: Medea, with makeup and tears streaming down her face. Bullis High School had a powerful production of Medea, a story of vengeance and the horrifying consequences of not taking a stand for justice.

Medea was originally written by Euripides in ancient Greece, and was later adapted in the 1940s by Robinson Jeffers. It focuses on the egregious consequences of not putting forth one's best effort to circumvent evil. The tale follows the story of Medea, who is overwrought with grief when her husband, Jason, leaves her for a different princess. She is further pained when she and her children are exiled from the city of Corinth. Despite the cautions of her nurse and the women of Corinth, Medea concocts her horrific revenge by brutally murdering everyone Jason cares about.

Medea was staged on an impressive set that was authentic to the period of the play. Two enormous serpents twisted up mottled columns, with foreboding glares over the actors. The dual symbolism of snakes as medicinal and treacherous emphasized two important aspects of Medea's abilities and personality. The set was especially impressive given that it was constructed by the students (Raphael Conrad, Jack Honeycutt, and Bethany Smith).

Tamia Haskins portrayed the destructive, vengeful Medea, with a wonderful range of emotions. Haskins sobbed and lamented from Medea's initial heartbreak and her fear of exile, contorted her face into evil sneers when manipulating other characters, and delivered a monotonous monologue to convey her detachment after murdering her own children. Utilizing fury and cunning, Haskins made Medea a memorable and powerful character.

Other notable cast members include William Evans, who was convincing as Jason with a powerful and authoritative tone. Sydney Smith was serious and committed to her role as the Nurse. Siena McKnight's superb execution of facial and vocal expressions showed the First Woman of Corinth's character arc as her initial allegiance to Medea faded away.

Tamia Haskin and Siena McKnight designed the costumes, which appeared professionally made. Medea's costumes were especially grand, with a maroon dress that symbolized her passion and bloodlust. The blood smeared across her white gown at the end looked fresh and realistic.

Medea is a play filled with deception, manipulation, and treachery. Bullis High School had a talented, committed cast that was up to the task of showing the audience just how important it is to stand up to evil.

Hallie Strelsky
Hayfield Secondary School
Submitted for publication to Maryland Theater Guide

Betrayal of a husband to a wife, the unbearable agony of a broken heart, child-sized bloody hand prints, and a few not so innocent bystanders. The ancient Greek tragedy of Medea, produced in 431 BC, is a horrifying classic of gore, death and hatred; but when Bullis Players presents their own production of the Corinthian based story, they take it to a whole new level of memorable.

With a simple yet satisfying set to encompass the astonishing talent of the actors and actresses onstage, it was challenging not to get pulled into the intense monologues and conflicts occuring before our eyes. The cast took advantage of all space that the stage allowed and effectively and effortlessly moved from one interaction to the next with their precisely staged movements and actions.

The stage of Bullis School showcased an amazing amount of talent with three individuals in particular. The first being the leading murderess herself, Medea, played by Tamia Haskins. Ms. Haskins gave a bone chilling performance as she portrayed her character as broken and mysteriously detached while she spoke softly and stared in one direction with no destination at one moment, and lunged in blind rage with crisp, clear, and jump worthy vocals at another. Her demeanor was a fickle light switch that gave no clear inclination of when she would go off, and every time she slowly stepped onstage, every set of eyes were glued to her in anticipation of what was to come.

The next actress who took control of the stage with every appearance of her character was the Nurse, portrayed by Sydney Smith. With every second that she was under the intricate lights of the auditorium's focal point, she committed 110% to her character and her performance was more than simply admirable. Even when she wasn't delivering eye opening monologues or interacting effortlessly with the other actors on stage, she did not cease to act and her reactions were spot on in reference to what was happening on stage. Because Smith was distinctively the most experienced of the cast, the show began and ended substantially because she was the first and last person the audience heard from.

The final character that radiated confidence in her acting choices was the 1st Woman of Corinth, played by Siena McKnight. Similar to Smith, McKnight also gave a stellar performance that did not halt when she was not speaking or being spoken to, and whenever she did speak, she demanded the attention of every seat in the auditorium to be on her velvety voice. With McKnight's magnificent inflections and stern belief in what she was saying, she made it evident that she was the voice of reason among her chorus colleagues and this shone through her character due to her excellent acting techniques.

Throughout the show, the audience was kept on the edge of their seats and recoiled at the impressively well thought out gruesome end. Although some of their brilliant ideas may have been overbearing at times, Bullis School's production of Medea leaves a mark deeper than a stab wound in the memories of everyone who was fortunate enough to have experienced it.