MEDEA

A teenage boy and his younger brother lie face down, motionless, on the floor of their brightly coloured bedroom. They are locked in whilst their parents argue a legendary domestic dispute. This is the opening scene of Medea, a reworking of the classic Euripides tale by writers Kate Mulvany and Anne-Louise Sarks from the children’s point of view.

The siblings fight, argue, wrestle and indulge in the rough and tumble play of boys reaching adolescence. They are interrupted by the arrival of their mother, Medea (Blazey Best).   Her husband is leaving her for a younger woman and taking her sons. She grimaces, her face contorts with anguish and she assures the boys she loves them. When she leaves, they continue their antics.

Medea is a well written and superbly acted play. It is a heartbreaking look at the distance between the adult and child world. When the two collide, tragedy is the inevitable result.

Until Nov 25, Belvoir St Theatre, 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills, $32-42, 9699 3444, belvoir.com.au