The Scoop at More London turns to classical mythology for its summer season of free theatre this year, with a production of Greek revenge drama Medea and a family musical version of The Adventures Of Jason And The Argonauts.
Since 2003 this outdoor 1,000-seat riverside amphitheatre near City Hall has been offering Londoners the chance to see professional theatre for free, with tickets available to the first to turn up at each performance during the six-week summer season. Last year’s season comprised a production of Lorca’s Blood Wedding and a Cajun-inspired version of Little Red Riding Hood.
This year’s season begins on 30 July with a specially commissioned version of Euripides’s Medea, in a new translation by Stella Duffy, directed by Phil Willmott. This modern take on the classic tale depicts a celebrity marriage in crisis. As King Jason is lured away by a new princess, Medea plots her famous and terrible revenge.
The Adventures Of Jason And The Argonauts (from 7 August), also directed by Willmott, is based on the classic story of Jason’s quest for the Golden Fleece. This production reconceives the legend as a family musical, including comedy, puppetry and a toe-tapping score.
Both shows are produced by The Steam Industry, which returns to Greek drama following previous productions of Oedipus, Agamemnon, Cyclops, Helen Of Troy and Children Of Hercules.
One ensemble of actors forms the company for both productions, which play in repertoire until 6 September.
CB