Rory Mullarkey, who won the 2014 George Devine Award for his play The Wolf From The Door, is to adapt Aeschylus’ Oresteia for Shakespeare’s Globe.
The new version of the Greek drama will be directed by Adele Thomas and run at the famously roof-free theatre from 29 August.
Speaking about his commission, Mullarkey said: “I’m thrilled to be working with Adele Thomas to bring one of history’s great masterpieces to a new audience. The Globe space needs big language and big ideas, and Aeschylus’ trilogy provides that in spades, so I can’t wait to see how audiences respond to a fresh, new adaptation. It’s a monumental challenge, but an exciting one.”
The Oresteia follows the cycle of revenge sparked by Agamemnon’s sacrifice of his daughter Iphigenia as it moves from individual blood vendetta towards the idea of trial and punishment.
Mullarkey, who was previously Writer-On-Attachment at the Royal Court in 2010 and Writer-In-Residence at the Royal Exchange, Manchester in 2011, counts Grandfathers at the National Theatre’s Temporary Theatre and Headlong’s Decade among his writing credits.
Thomas previously worked at Shakespeare’s Globe as Artistic Director Dominic Dromgoole’s Associate Director on the production of Gabriel before taking the directorial reins for The Knight Of The Burning Pestle at the venue’s indoor space, the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.
The Oresteia plays as part of Dromgoole’s final summer season at the helm of Shakespeare’s Globe, alongside The Merchant Of Venice, As You Like It, King John, Measure For Measure, Richard II, The Heresy Of Love and Jessica Swale’s new play Nell Gwynn.