Furies

Summary
The National Theatre production of Aeschylus’ Oresteia, a Greek tragic trilogy consisting of Agamemnon, Libation Bearers and Furies was transmitted on Channel 4 on 9 October 1983. In between the three plays, two specially devised video compositions of music, movement and images, commissioned from After Image, were shown. On 8 October, the one-hour documentary The Oresteia at Epidaurus was transmitted at 8.00pm.
Theatre play
Eumenides by Aeschylus [more information]
Date of transmission
Sunday 9 October 1983
Time
10.30pm
Channel
Channel 4
Production company
National Theatre, London; Films for the Humanities & Sciences
Theatre company
National Theatre, London

Credits

Director
Peter Hall
Producer
Peter Hall
Lighting
John Bury
Playwright
Aeschylus
Translator
Tony Harrison
Composer
Harrison Birtwistle (1934-)
Designer
Jocelyn Herbert (1917-2003)
Masks by
Jocelyn Herbert (1917-2003)
Movement
Stuart Hopps
Cast
Sean BakerChorus; Priestess
David BamberChorus
Nigel BellairsAnti-Chorus
Mark BondAnti-Chorus
James CarterChorus; Agamemnon
Timothy DaviesChorus; Pylades
Peter DawsonChorus
Philip DonaghyChorus; Clytemnestra
Martin GarfieldAnti-Chorus
Roger GartlandChorus; Electra
Peter GeraldAnti-Chorus
John GillAnti-Chorus
Colin HaighAnti-Chorus
Peter HaleAnti-Chorus
James HayesChorus; Nurse
Greg HicksChorus; Orestes
Robert HowardAnti-Chorus
Kenny IrelandChorus; Apollo
Alfred LynchChorus; Aegisthus
John NormingtonChorus; Cassandra
Graham PountneyAnti-Chorus
Robert RalphAnti-Chorus
Tony RobinsonChorus; Servant
David RoperChorus; Watchman
Norman RutherfordAnti-Chorus
Barrie RutterChorus; Herald
Leslie SouthwickAnti-Chorus
Michael ThomasChorus; Athena
Glenn WilliamsAnti-Chorus
Richard WilliamsAnti-Chorus

Additional details

Vision original
Colour
Notes
The cast listed here is for ‘The Oresteia Company’, as listed in the credits following each play. It is likely, but not easy to tell for sure, that all members took part in each play.
Play tags
Greek drama; tragedy

Audiovisual sources

Title
Oresteia (NT / Channel 4, 1983)
Archive
NT Archive [more information]
Address

NT Studio, 83-101 The Cut
London
SE1 8LL
UK

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7452 3135

Email

Use the contact form at http://catalogue.nationaltheatre.org.uk/CalmView/ContactUsForm.aspx

Website

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/discover-more/archive

Access

The NT Archive is open to researchers Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 5.00pm, excepting Thursdays when it is open from 12.00pm to 8.00pm, by prior appointment only.

Title
The Oresteia (NT / Channel 4, 1983)
Archive
BFI Reuben Library [more information]
Address

BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road
South Bank
London
SE1 8XT
UK

Email

Use the contact form at http://www.bfi.org.uk/form/contact-bfi-library

Website

http://www.bfi.org.uk/education-research/bfi-reuben-library/visiting-bfi-reuben-library

Access

The BFI Library is open from 10.30am to 7.00pm, Tuesday to Saturday. Access to special collections material is by appointment.

Title
The Oresteia at Epidaurus [documentary]
Archive
NT Archive [more information]
Address

NT Studio, 83-101 The Cut
London
SE1 8LL
UK

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7452 3135

Email

Use the contact form at http://catalogue.nationaltheatre.org.uk/CalmView/ContactUsForm.aspx

Website

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/discover-more/archive

Access

The NT Archive is open to researchers Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 5.00pm, excepting Thursdays when it is open from 12.00pm to 8.00pm, by prior appointment only.

Notes
This documentary was transmitted on 8 October 1983, 8-9pm.

Print sources

Title
Channel Four Television: Press Information, Saturday 8th October - Friday 14th October 1983 (Press pack)
Archive
Channel 4 Archives [more information]
Address

Channel 4 Television Corporation, 124 Horseferry Road
Victoria
London
SW1P 2TX
UK

Website

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/a?_ref=3146

Access

The Channel 4 Archive is under development and not open to the public.

Title
Delving into Dr Newman’s Casebook (Newspaper review)
Author/creator
Julian Barnes (Reviewer)
Reference
The Observer, 16 October 1983
Title
Dressed to Thrill: Supersleuths Tommy and Tuppence make their Debut (Newspaper article)
Author/creator
Judith Simons (Author)
Reference
Daily Express, 8 October 1983, p. 19
Title
Family at War (Newspaper review)
Author/creator
Michael Wood (Reviewer)
Reference
New Society, 6 October 1983, p. 19
Title
Happy Birthday: Channel 4’s First Year of Operations (Newspaper article)
Author/creator
Julian Barnes (Author)
Reference
The Observer, 6 November 1983, p. 35
Title
Happy Tale of a Greek Tragedy (Newspaper article)
Author/creator
Alix Coleman (Author)
Reference
TV Times, 8 October 1983, pp. 76 and 78
Title
If You Missed it in 458BC, Catch it this Sunday on Channel 4: The Oresteia (Advertisement)
Reference
The Guardian, 7 October 1983
Title
Masked Celebration (Newspaper review)
Author/creator
Lynne Truss (Reviewer)
Reference
The Times Educational Supplement, 7 October 1983
Title
Murder, Revenge and Guilt (Newspaper listing)
Reference
TV Times, 8 October 1983
Notes
with images from the production
Title
Revenge Killing (Magazine review)
Author/creator
Matthew Hoffman (Reviewer)
Reference
The Listener, 6 October 1983, p. 33
Title
Tales of Agatha and Agamemnon (Newspaper review)
Author/creator
Nancy Banks-Smith (Reviewer)
Reference
The Guardian, 10 October 1983, Arts section, p. 11
Title
Television: Misty Intimacy (Newspaper review)
Author/creator
Michael Church (Reviewer)
Reference
The Times, 8 December 1983, p. 15
Title
TV: Oresteia, Aeschylus’ Trilogy (Newspaper article)
Author/creator
John J. O’Connor (Author)
Reference
The New York Times, 1 September 1986

Associated programmes

Agamemnon (National Theatre, London / Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 1983)
Agamemnon by Aeschylus
Channel 4

Libation Bearers (National Theatre, London / Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 1983)
Choephoroi by Aeschylus
Channel 4

Record Stats

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