Latest news with #Medea
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Korean production of 'The Cherry Orchard' sets off on global tour
Jeon Do-yeon, Park Hae-soo reprise their roles; first stops in Hong Kong and Singapore Following its sensational premiere in Seoul, the Korean production of "The Cherry Orchard" will embark on an international tour this fall, beginning with performances in Hong Kong and Singapore. The original Seoul cast, led by Cannes-winning Jeon Do-yeon and Park Hae-soo, will reprise their roles, joined by fellow original cast members Sohn Sang-gyu, Choi Hee-seo, Lee Ji-hye, Nam Yun-ho, Yoo Byung-hun, Park Yu-rim, Lee Sae-jun and Lee Ju-won. The adaptation directed by Simon Stone and produced by LG Arts Center reimagines Anton Chekhov's tragicomedy through the lens of contemporary Korea. During its 2024 debut at LG Arts Center Seoul, the show drew 40,000 theatergoers across 30 performances and achieved a 95 percent seat occupancy rate. The international tour begins Sept. 19-21 at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Center, where it will open the Asia+ Festival 2025. The festival, organized by Hong Kong's Leisure and Cultural Services Department, highlights the best of traditional and contemporary performing arts across Asia. From Nov. 7-9, the production travels to Singapore's national performing arts center, Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay, for three performances. Stone, known for his deconstruction and reinterpretation of canonical works such as "Medea" and "Ibsen House," breathes new life into "The Cherry Orchard," setting the story of a crumbling aristocracy and a rising middle class in a Korea undergoing rapid transformation. 'This idea of very rapid change — the ways of the past being lost, the fight between tradition and innovation, the battle between generations, and this very melancholy, almost crazy movement between hope and despair that happens sometimes within a single sentence — is very hard to find,' said Stone, speaking to the press last year. To him, setting the play in Korea felt like exactly the right way to hold a mirror to all of this. 'This is a truly global collaboration,' said Lee Hyun-jung, head of LG Arts Center Seoul. 'It brings together one of the world's most visionary directors, some of Korea's finest actors, and an extraordinary team of creatives, including architect Saul Kim and composer Jang Young-gyu. Together, they've transformed a 100-year-old Russian play into a living, urgent Korean story.' Further international invitations are already in the works, including the Adelaide Festival in March 2026 and New York's Park Avenue Armory in September 2026, with additional global stops under discussion.
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘I'm scared and my work reflects that': the artist painting heavy questions onto the lightness of silk
It might seem shocking, at first, for an artist to use her own children as models in a work based on Medea, a mother from Greek myth who kills her sons. 'They noticed the likeness in my work,' says Emma Talbot. 'And I had to say, 'Yes, it's you.'' Talbot, whose first large-scale UK show has just opened at Compton Verney in Warwickshire, adds: 'But when I think of 'sons', they're the sons that come to mind. It was inevitable the images would be of them.' There's another reason. The installation in which they appear – The Tragedies – is a tent-like, silk structure painted with intricate, swirling images interspersed with short texts: 'Why should there be war?'; 'Why fill the future with grief and regret?'; 'What does war resolve?' These are the questions Talbot believes we should all be asking ourselves, at a time when the UK has been mooting the possibility of conscription. 'It is a tragedy,' she says. 'When they said that, I immediately thought of my sons, both in their mid 20s. It feels personal. These are my sons they'd be sending off to war.' This is the point Talbot wants to make with her Medea piece. 'Her crime was totally unthinkable – and yet is what Medea did worse than us sending our children off to die in war? I can't see that any kind of war resolves anything.' Talbot, a descendant of Jews who fled 1930s Germany, adds: 'People say, 'What would you have done in the time of Hitler, or over Ukraine?' And I say, 'If we had a system that didn't legitimate aggression, everything would be different.' We can't even imagine how that world would be.' War isn't the only issue this show of fairly recent work tackles: Talbot uses paintings, sculpture and animation to examine other concerns, from our relationship with nature, to how grief affects our lives. Her paintings, all on silk, are colourful, closely packed with flowing imagery. They include a series called Magical Thinking, which explores the ways humans use imagination to make sense of the world. Sculptures include Gathering, which uses fabric, beads and wood to look at the symbolic properties of various animals. Her animation All That Is Buried shows a drawn figure navigating a soulless urban landscape in search of truth. At the root of her work are questions about power. Who has it? What do they do with it? How might they use it differently? The Tragedies has long arms reaching out: they're warning figures, says Talbot, like the chorus of a Greek tragedy. 'They're calling on us to notice what's happening – because humans have the capacity to explore complex ideas. That gives me hope: there is scope to find another way.' All the same, she finds the news now unsettling. 'I'm scared and my work reflects that.' Talbot was born in the Midlands in 1969: her mum was a nurse, her father, seriously injured in a car accident, was her patient. The marriage didn't last long: Talbot's dad moved to Japan, where he still lives, to raise another family. Her mum remarried, but it didn't make for a happy childhood. 'She came from this intellectual German family and my stepfather worked in factories in the East End. It was complicated.' Talbot and her elder brother, three and five when their parents divorced, found their escape in drawing and acting. 'The world was much more parent-centric then. Children had to carve out their own space.' She did an arts course in Canterbury, then studied fine art at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design and did an MA in painting at the Royal College of Art. In the mid-1990s, while teaching art at Northumbria University, she met the sculptor Paul Mason, who she married. Their two sons, Zachary and Daniel, were seven and six when he died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2006. It was an unthinkable turn – but for Talbot, it brought a new direction. 'Paul was the person I shared my stories with,' she says. 'Then he wasn't there any more. And that's what life's about, isn't it? Sharing our stories. Suddenly there was this big void and I started to fill it with drawings – to get out the things I would have said to him.' But still, she had overwhelming doubts. 'I'd pay the babysitter and go to the studio and think, 'I can't do this any more. Maybe I'm not an artist after all.' But slowly, I realised I had this incredible freedom again – just as I did when I was a kid.' Her art – previously paintings created using found photographs – changed. 'I started to paint on silk. I like the contrast between the lightness of the silk and the weight of the stories. I like that silk is so light, so fluid.' Sign up to Art Weekly Your weekly art world round-up, sketching out all the biggest stories, scandals and exhibitions after newsletter promotion Another work at Compton Verney is The Human Experience, two 11-metre long swathes of silk, wrapped around the gallery, taking the visitor on a journey through life, from conception to death. 'It's about how you move through a world that's dangerous and uncertain. Because life experience comes from walking through volatility and uncertainty.' In the midst of her grief, and while coping with life as a single parent, she realised she had nothing to lose, and everything to gain, by burrowing deeply into herself and making work that had little need of outside validation. 'I realised I was finding a core version of myself. I could show myself honestly. I wasn't concerned with what anyone would think. I thought, 'This is about doing the work that matters.' For me, art and life are indivisible.' Following a residency in Italy, after she won the 2019 Max Mara prize, Talbot now divides her time between Reggio Emilia, in the country's north, and the UK. Recognition on the continent has come easier than acknowledgment in Britain: she's shown widely across Europe, with solo exhibitions ongoing in Copenhagen, Athens and Utrecht. Compton Verney ushers in a new chapter – but you get the sense it won't change how she works. 'Art is the glue between everything,' she says. 'It's there to help us make sense of the world. And making art is what I'll carry on doing.' Emma Talbot: How We Learn to Love is at Compton Verney, Warwickshire, until 5 October
Sharjah 24
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
Dibba Al Hisn Duo Theatre Festival concludes its 8th edition
'Profile 'concludes the shows The audience on the final night watched the Egyptian play 'Profile', performed by the "Layali Al-Masri" troupe. Nahed El-Tahan wrote the play, Enas Al-Masri provided dramaturgy and direction, and actors Mai Reda and Nashwa Mohammed performed. A fusion of mythology and literature The play presents an imaginative meeting between Medea—a mythological Greek figure who exacted brutal revenge on her unfaithful husband—and Amina, a character from Naguib Mahfouz's 'Cairo Trilogy'. In this portrayal, Amina is reimagined as a modern Egyptian woman who accepts her difficult life, dedicating herself to her family and running a TikTok cooking channel as a means of livelihood. Differing views on marriage The encounter between Medea and Amina, separated by centuries, highlights contrasting perspectives on marriage. Medea embodies anger and vengeance in response to betrayal, while Amina values preserving her home and caring for her daughters, overlooking her husband's marriage to another woman in his quest for a son. Enriched performance Staged in a realistic setting, the performance relied on dialogue to draw out the ideological divide between the two women. Video projections illustrated Medea's mythical journey from the sun to Earth and reflected Amina's engagement with social media. Music and sound effects helped transition between scenes and added emotional depth to specific moments. Critical session A post-performance critical session, moderated by Egyptian theatre artist Fady Nashat, saw participants commend the efforts of the team and the play's ambition in addressing the societal status of women. Diverse programme The eighth edition of the Dibba Al Hisn Duo Theatre Festival, which began on Friday, 23 May, featured five theatrical productions, including 'Profile'. Other performances included '17 Hours' by Sharjah National Theatre, 'Individual Salvation' by Syria's Tajamu Ashjar troupe, 'Life and Dream' by Morocco's Al-Shamat Theatre, and 'To Prepare a Boiled Egg ' by Kuwait Theatre. The festival also hosted the 20th Sharjah Arab Theatre Forum and held three workshops for school theatre facilitators in directing, scenography, and puppetry. A festival founded to foster theatrical exchange Established in 2016, the Dibba Al Hisn Duo Theatre Festival was launched in response to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, with the aim of expanding and diversifying theatrical activity in the emirate and building bridges of communication and knowledge exchange between Emirati and Arab theatre professionals.
Leaders
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
"The Woman in Pink": Who Medea Benjamin, Activist Confronting U.S. Leaders for Supporting Israel?
American peace activist Medea Benjamin continues her campaign to hold Israel accountable, from denouncing pro-Israel senators and leading global anti-war protests to writing articles condemning its Gaza offensive and far-right policies. Who is 'The Woman in Pink'? Born Susan Benjamin on September 10, 1952, in New York to a Jewish family, she later changed her name to Medea — inspired by the famed Greek myth — during her first year in college. Before graduating, Medea traveled through several African and European countries with a student democracy group, spending years teaching English. She later returned to the U.S., completed her studies, and earned a Master's degree in Public Health from Columbia University and another in Economics from The New School in New York. @ أربـ.ـكت جلسات الكـ.ونغرس وأقـ.ـضت مـ.ـضـ.ـجع بن غفـ.ـير.. ميديا بنجامين، بردائها الوردي وصوتها الحر، تهـ.ـزّ أقـ.ـوى القـ.ـادة السيـ.ـاسـ.ـيين وتعيد تعريف الشـ.ـجـ.ـاعة السـ.ـيـ.ـاسـ.ـية.. ماذا تعرف عنها؟ #مجلة_ميم #غزة فلسطين! #ترامب ♬ original sound – مجلة ميم.. مِرآتنا – مجلة ميم.. مِرآتنا Career Path In 1988, Medea and her husband co-founded Global Exchange, an organization that advocates for fair trade alternatives in the era of globalization. Her most significant impact, however, began in 2002, when she co-founded the feminist peace organization CODEPINK. CODEPINK According to the group's definition, CODEPINK is a grassroots feminist organization working to end war and U.S. imperialism, support peace initiatives and human rights, and redirect resources toward healthcare, education, green jobs, and other life-affirming programs. These programs are considered investments in human dignity rather than destruction. The group also advocates for universal healthcare including abortion rights, income-independent access to education, and considers housing a fundamental human right. Advocacy for Palestine Medea didn't wait for over 28,000 Palestinians to die before speaking out. She has been a vocal supporter of Gaza and critic of Israeli aggression. She frequently reacts publicly to events in Gaza, condemning each Israeli attack. Additionally, she has denounced U.S. efforts to defund UNRWA, protested against American military aid to Israel, and stood in opposition to Israeli policy, especially regarding Gaza. Voice Against War Medea Benjamin has become a thorn in the side of U.S. policymakers, particularly those involved in Middle Eastern conflicts. Her most recent protests include opposing the Israeli assault on Gaza and condemning U.S. strikes in Yemen. Photos from her X (formerly Twitter) account show CODEPINK members attending a congressional hearing on Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, with red-painted hands symbolizing the U.S. leadership's role in bloodshed. She also supports congressional members opposing the war on Gaza, as seen in a photo with Representative Mark Pocan, where she praised him for calling for a ceasefire and supporting funding for UNRWA. A recent video shows Medea and CODEPINK members protesting the 70 U.S. senators who voted to continue supporting Israel militarily. Her activism isn't limited to the Middle East. She has also opposed U.S. funding for Ukraine in its war with Russia, stating: 'Many Americans do not support funding Ukraine.' Related Topics : Israel Calls Up Tens of Thousands of Reservists for Gaza Offensive Expansion Even in Ashes, They Believe: The Unyielding Faith of Gaza's People Saudi Arabia Condemns Targeting of Tents of Displaced Palestinians Near UNRWA Arab Summit 2024 Highlights UNRWA's Pivotal Role in Gaza Short link : Post Views: 1
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Contributor: What the ancient world can teach us about death
I first became fascinated by death when I was 8 and my mummy took me to the British Museum to look at the mummies. When, at a slightly older age, I began to study death and the ancient world what struck me most, despite many fascinating cultural variants, was the uniformity, and limitation of the human imagination over the millennia vis-à-vis what to expect when we're gone. The COVID pandemic and its aftermath have killed more than 1,220,000 people in the U.S. alone, and this has made everybody more aware of death's omnipresence. But in the ancient world, you needed no such wake-up call. Your chances of celebrating your first birthday weren't much better than two in three. If you survived and were male, you could perhaps expect to reach your mid-40s. If you were female, your life expectancy dropped to your mid- to late 30s. A birthing mother's odds of surviving labor were grim. 'I'd rather fight in battle three times than give birth once,' says Medea, in the play by Euripides. Big killers of the ancient world were bronchitis, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera, which affected people of all social status. Plague was a regular seasonal visitor, sometimes carrying off as much as a third of the population. Floods washed away entire settlements, and fire was an ever-present hazard. Earthquakes, too, took a very heavy toll. The Roman poet Horace's advice to 'seize the day' — carpe diem —could not have been more fitting. Today, people have the option of dying in a hospital or in a hospice . But there was nothing remotely comparable to professional, institution-based palliative care in antiquity. If you didn't die in war or at sea, you breathed your last in the bosom of your family. And except in Egypt and Rome, where the death industry was lively, undertakers were virtually unknown. Instead, the family, women especially, took care of the dead, washing and clothing the corpse in a shroud and preparing it for viewing in the home. Perhaps because of these intimacies, the funeral itself was anything but the solemn and muted affair it tends to be in our culture. Men and women beat their heads and breasts, poured dust on their hair, tore their clothing, rolled on the ground and bewailed their loss in a paroxysm of grief. Polytheistic religion had little to offer by way of comfort or consolation. How could it? The Olympian gods knew nothing of death and conducted themselves without any regard for mortality. And yet, the ancients did have their share of ideas about the afterlife. Most believed that the dead not only continued to exist elsewhere but also, paradoxically, depended on sustenance deposited beside their remains. The modern practice of laying flowers on a grave is fueled by the same vague idea that the dead are contactable at the place where they are interred. In Homer's 'Odyssey' everyone ends up in the same dank, dark, dreary region called Hades, irrespective of what lives they have led. Only a tiny minority — three people in total — get punished for being very bad. Tantalus, for instance, who cooked his son in a casserole and served him up to the gods, is 'tantalized' for eternity by food and drink that is always just out of his reach. The idea of a dualistic afterlife with some kind of heaven for the blessed derives from the ancient Egyptians. According to them, before being admitted to the Field of Reeds, where you'll be able to hunt and party like there's no tomorrow, you have to appear before the underworld judge Osiris, who will cross-examine you to see if you've led a virtuous life. Your heart will be weighed on a scale, against a feather of truth. If it's heavier than the feather, a monster will devour you, but after that you'll simply cease to exist. No hell, in other words. Over time, a number of Greeks came to believe that a blessed afterlife was available for those who had been initiated into the so-called mystery cults, though what exactly this blessedness amounted to is unclear. Over time, too, the belief that Hades was a place of punishment gained traction. Aeneas, making a pit stop on his way to catch up with his father in Hades, learns that numerous categories of criminals experience gruesome punishments. This anticipates the eternal fires that both Christianity and Islam suggest will consume the ungodly. The late Pope Francis' comment relayed by a journalist back in 2018 — 'Hell does not exist; there is the disappearance of sinful souls' — was a welcome sign for sinners like myself, even though the Vatican quickly asserted that he wasn't speaking ex cathedra. By contrast, the Hebrew Bible shows little interest in the plight of individuals after death. Good and bad end up in Sheol, a region very similar to Hades. Today, according to Pew Research Center data, some 80% of Americans believe in an afterlife. Their thoughts about what to expect there remain somewhat confused, but perhaps it's telling that the most commonly held idea is that they will be reunited with loved ones and — if they're lucky — with pets. That view, absent the pets, also prevailed in antiquity. Greek funerary monuments frequently show the dead, or the living and the dead, shaking hands. The same theme is evinced most movingly in Etruscan sarcophagi that depict husband and wife lying in bed together for all eternity. Not even the Egyptians came up with a better way of conveying the hope that the life awaiting us will be as sensual and as pleasurable as our best moments here on Earth. If there's one thing I've learned studying all of this, it's that inconsistency and illogicality lie at the heart of the human effort to imagine what to expect when we're dead. Even some hardened atheists find it difficult to imagine extinction. The belief that humans will continue to exist in a different realm or on a different plane and that they will face a reckoning are ideas that have been around for thousands of years. So, too, has the belief that nothing survives death. 'I didn't exist. I existed. I don't exist. I don't care,' reads an epitaph often found on Roman gravestones. Mark Twain put it equally memorably: 'I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and hadn't suffered the slightest inconvenience.' Robert Garland, professor emeritus of the classics at Colgate University, is the author, most recently, of 'What to Expect When You're Dead: An Ancient Tour of Death and the Afterlife.' This article was produced in partnership with Zocalo Public Square. If it's in the news right now, the L.A. Times' Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
