CLASSICAL ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22630, 23 July 1935, Page 11

CLASSICAL ASSOCIATION

THE “ AGAMEMNON ” OF /ESCHYLUS The reading of the “Agamemnon” of iEschylus, in which Miss Jessie M'Lennan was making her farewell appearance prior to her departure for Australia, attracted a very large attendance of members and friends to the meeting of the Classical Association which was held last evening in the lecture room of the Museum. The president (Mr W. J. Morrell) occupied the chair.

In a lucid introduction, Miss I. Turnbull gave the setting of the “Agamemnon.” She explained that when the Greek army, under King Agamemnon, was about to set out from Aulis against Troy, it was delayed by contrary gales, which, the seer declared, would not abate until Agamemnon had sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia on the altar. Her mother, Clytenmestra, little knowing what was in store for her daughter, allowed her to sail to Aulis and there meet her sad fate. The winds duly abated, and after a siege of ten years, Agamemnon took Troy; but his wife could never forgive him for the wrong done to their daughter. Consequently, when he returned in triumph, she had matured a plot for his assassination, so that she might reign in conjunction with his hated cousin, iEgisthUs. The captive Trojan princess, Cassandra, whom he had brought home with him as a concubine, shared Agamemnon’s own fate.

The' part of Clytemnestra gave Miss M'Lennan full scope for her powers of dramatic interpretation. From her first entry, she dominated the scene as the haughty, daring, strong, and passionate queen. In every scene, whether it demanded that she be arrogant and domineering, artfully persuasive and cajoling, or strongly dignified, she held her audience, seeming always to have some power in reserve. As the prophetess Cassandra, Mrs F. J. Gair gave a convincing reading of an extremely difficult part, and showed keen insight into Cassandra’s state of mind, as she depicted the prophetess gradually becoming mistress of herself and describing with increasing coherence the fate that she saw awaiting herself and Agamemnon,

Such a type as Clytemnestra demands a strong company to support her, and not only Cassandra, but all the other characters have, in the original play, been portrayed with great vigour. Even the chorus would be too individual for a chorus in any play where the characterisation was less strong; and Miss Anita Winkel scored a real triumph in maintaining the balance between this element of the work of the chorus and its purely lyrical character. Her sure and sensitive instinct for rhythm made the chorus a joy to listen to. Mr H. W. Hunter’s Agamemnon was essentially the king, accustomed to his royal state and glorying in it, having the easy dignity of one born to the purple and possessing the virtues and faults of royalty. Mr Hunter made up for the brevity of his part by the effectiveness of his reading.

Mr James Fleming had greater chances in his two parts of the watchman and the herald, and his scholarly methods enabled him to take full advantage of his opportunities. He gave a masterly .portrait of the watching domestic who opens the play with just a suggestion of the Shakesperian touch of comedy under strict restraint. Even better was his rendering of the herald, who expresses his joy in returning to his native land, his gratitude for victory and friendships and all the gifts of the gods, with a depth of feeling and a wealth of poetic expression that make him outstanding among the heralds of Greek literature.

On behalf of the audience, the chairman thanked the readers for a particularly fine reading of what many people thought the greatest tragedy Jn the literature of the world. The association was deeply grateful to Mr Fleming and his group of-' readers, and he assured Miss MT.ennan that no other group of people was more cordial in its good wishes to her, or would more eagerly welcome news of her success, thjrOtago Classical Association. 4