THEATRE PIECE IN ENGLISH

BY YAEL FARBER

Molora, which means “ashes” in the Sesotho language, was inspired by director Yael Farber’s desire to expose the cycle of violence and the dilemma faced by the survivors who have to choose between revenge and forgiveness. The play relocates the ancient myth of Orestes to the recent history of South Africa, but unlike the original story, it breaks the cycle of violence and testifies to the country’s fundamental transformation. In an open, sparse setting, the three actors who play Clytemnestra, Electra and Orestes share the stage with a choir of women from the Nqoko Cultural Group, who reinvent the Greek chorus. The harmonies of their split tone vocals, derived from traditional techniques, brilliantly create a rich, raw soundscape that weaves a mythical dimension into the performance.