Last night at the premiere for Digital Theatre and Cinema Live’s film release of The Crucible, when Ben Hewis of What’s on Stage (thanks to Armitage Agonistes for the link) asked Richard Armitage, about working with Yaël Farber, part of his response was:
Richard Armitage and Yael Farber
Source
“…I really hope we can do something else together.
We’re putting our heads together and having a really
good think about what we can do next.”
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy this could be good…really good…CLASSICALLY good even!
Here’s how my twisted little brain spins this all out: A cursory look at the “Productions” page on Yaël Farber’s website revealed this:
Right smack in the middle are two Yaël Farber adaptations of classical plays. In Molora, Farber retools Aeschylus’ Oresteia – the tale of The House of Atreus…you know, Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Elektra? Powerful stuff.
Both of Yaël Farber’s classical adaptations have met with critical acclaim and Molora was particularly well received in a world wide productions…Farber’s blend of classical themes with contemporary issues and unique staging consistently packs a punch.
It’s Kadmos, though, that has me really intrigued. I became aware of this Yaël Farber adaptation…this time of Sophocles’ Theban Plays, this summer when I was doing a little research on Yaël Farber, Sophocles, Arthur Miller and The Crucible…there are some interesting connections for sure, but I think I’ll save that bit until I’m able to see The Crucible when it eventually turns up in my neck of the woods.
In the Theban Plays, Farber’s adaptation is titled after the first king of Thebes…Kadmos, Sophocles traces the story of the Oedipus and his family in three plays:
Οἰδίπους Τύραννος – Oedipus the King
Οἰδίπους ἐπὶ Κολωνῷ – Oedipus at Colonos
Ἀντιγόνη – Antigone
When I first looked at Yaël Farber’s CV over the summer I also noticed this enticing little nugget:
Shut the front door! Is this in development for the Athens & Epidauros Festival? I wondered. I clicked over to their website and found no trace of it. However…could it be that its production was postponed for some reason…fate perhaps???
It seems like there is another connection that I’m missing here…Oh right – there’s that Richard Armitage tweet from last summer…
OMG, OMG, OMG!!! That would be a splendissimus collaboRAtion (sorry…I got excited and mixed languages!!) While we’re at it, let’s just up the ante and say it will be produced in Athens, Summer 2016. If that happens,
Puppies and nerds wrigglin’
Someone fetch me in time to buy tickets, ’cause I’ll be down here celebrating with the puppies!!
Ancient Armitage 
Reblogged this on Me + Richard Armitage and commented:
Summer of Love II, Athens 2016?
Now *that* I would really like to see – RA would be perfect in a Greek drama (much better than an Irish monk, somehow…) Great detective work there, Obscura. I can’t wait to see what happens next in that collaboration. Just back from Crucible on Screen myself, and wow – it was great. Farber-Armitage are a great team!
Hah, Guylty – writing pretty much the same thing at exactly the same time!
I reckon those who did not manage to see the play at the Old Vic are still in for a massive treat: watching the film was almost as good as being there.
Wydville!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great to hear from you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you ever get my e-mail? Have been trying to say thank you to you for my fabulous shopping bag – which gets used every day!
No, I didn’t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, you’ve said it now and I’m thrilled to bits that it’s not just decorative. Funnily enough I was thinking about those bags tonight. Can’t think what prompted me…. Don’t have your email, but if you want, Judit will give you mine (maybe the one you had was wrong?)
I can send you the image if you want…
I will have to look into that. Judit gave me your e-mail before, and I thought I sent a message, but I can’t even find it… Damn.
Absolutely agree. Next best thing. And great for reliving the event in my mind, too…
I think I could be an incredible thing. I’m not as interested in the Oresteia since the powerhouse roles are really Clytemnestra and Elektra….buuutttt, if Farber opted to cast Ancient Greek style, all the roles would be played by men. Now there’s food for thought – would that be avant garde or retro I wonder? 😉
Wow, the mind boggles! Purist or populist…
Wow, I would like to see that, actually, although I am the first to cry “discrimination against women”. And in this day and age it would probably be regarded as funky avantgarde, a rule-breaking, politically uncorrect provocation… 😉
OMG – meet you there!! What a wonderful piece of detective work: I found myself holding my breath as I read down the page.
Have just got home from watching The Crucible at the cinema. “Intense” doesn’t cover it. The filming was very well done; it was just as atmospheric as the theatre and then, of course, there were all the close-ups….
You’re on! Maybe I’ll have a chance to locate my favorite little dive souvlaki stand in the Plaka while in Athens. I always get so turned around in there that I lost it…I did “find” three offers to show me the sights though 🙂
I cannot wait until The Crucible makes it stateside…I’ve already hatched a plan to see it in on a theater size screen with great acoustics…that church sits empty every Saturday night and I know my way around the tech equipment 😉
Ooh!! Sounds promising! Thanks for sleuthing this one out. I may have to re-read Greek drama now. Following Richard’s career is enlightening.
I would totally go bananas if I’m in the ball park! (You can find readable translations for most in the public domain. Oedipus is a good place to start 🙂
Wouldn’t that be wonderful! RA is a bit long in the tooth to play Oedipus–unless they extended the time frame of his marriage. So he would need an actress who could play about 14 years older than RA is now to portray his wife/mother to make it plausible.
How about RA’s StrikeBack costar Orla Brady who played Katie Donovan? She’s about ten years older than RA–and she is beautiful, so one could see why he would go for the older woman. Of course, their marriage was a political move to cement Oedipus’ powerbase–by marrying the “old” queen, Jocasta. But a beautiful queen has its appeal. Ha!
Hmmm, maybe a little, but not by much. Say Jocasta was 15 when she had him and he was twenty when he returned to Thebes…their sons are old enough to share Oedipus’ throne after he’s exiled, so maybe close to 20 years have elapsed since he came back to Thebes. This would put him late thirties and Jocasta early fifties? Orla Brady, Emma Thompson, Kristen Scott Thomas would all be amazing! Political marriage to be sure, but mythological queens are always beautiful! 🙂
Besides which, why would he be toying with the idea of Oedipus if not to play the title role?
I can just see him playing the scene where the truth is revealed and then the aftermath… the fury and the guilt. OMG, he’d be perfect!
Great detective work, Obscura. I’m pulling for your theory to pan out – well -except for the Athens leg of the fantasy. In my fantasy, it’s in NYC.
I’d prefer Epiduaros to be honest…bigger theater, less traffic, fresh fish and my favorite off the beaten path beach just down the road. New York is a good second…and a lot shorter flight!
I think I would actually prefer Herodus Atticus to Epidaurus: it’s smaller and more intimate and it’s in Athens. Also, somehow it lends itself to “alternate” uses other than the purely classical – I’ve even seen the Bolshoi Ballet perform there once (decades ago!). So imagine Yael Farber being let loose in it.
Yes, and there are fewer direct flights to Athens. I was looking just a while ago.
I don’t think I’ve ever flown to Athens direct…not even from JFK. Worst route was overshooting to Istanbul…then back to Athens.
I don’t know about the past, but I did read over last winter that they cut flights to Athens. I would’ve thought there would be many direct flights – especially in season – but it wasn’t the case.
Oh, how I hope this is true! London didn’t tempt Hubby, but he’s ALWAYS wanted to go to Athens. Great detective work… hope it’s on target!
Wow! Very interesting. I’m glad he’s getting some brilliant roles nowadays. I can definitely see him getting an Oscar within the next decade. 🙂
Here’s my brief review of the Digital Theatre Version of The Crucuble- http://rwh92.wordpress.com/2014/12/05/the-crucible-digital-theatre-version/
The original stage performance review is also there! X
Welcome!!
Mostly wishful thinking on my part, but definitely within the realm of reality these days 🙂
Thanks for the link!
Another couple of clues, for those of us *hoping* your theory is correct… in the Metro 60 Seconds article, he said he loves “site specific theatre” and that he is developing a project for himself that has his incredibly dark violence. Makes you wonder!
Sorry for typos. Also meant to link to the article on RA-net:
Now that is truly intriguing. “Incredibly dark violence” and “site-specific theatre”? Obscura, get sleuthing!
And did any of us ever know he was an estate agent?? New one on me!
jholland – at last, somebody else who lives in London??
Oh, no… just visited London for The Crucible, but couldn’t get Hubby to go. Took Mom instead! I’m from Oklahoma, USA =)
Really good investigative/deductive stuff here. And agree, it would be glorious. Still giggling about “Twitter virginity.”