Furies Mask Trials - The Oresteia

Examples of trial masks for the Furies chorus. Jocelyn Herbert described how she had to make a lot of different versions before arriving at the masks that they used in the production.

The Oresteia plays, originally written by Aeschylus in the 5th century BC (458BC), were translated and made into a new version by Tony Harrison for the National Theatre. It is made up of three successive plays - Agamemnon, Choephori and Eumenides.
Jocelyn Herbert designed the sets, costumes, props and masks.

Designed by Jocelyn Hebert
Directed by Peter Hall
Translated and adapted by Tony Harrison
Music by Harrison Birtwistle
Lighting by John Bury
Sound by Ric Green
Movement by Stuart Hopps

The production played at the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre, London in 1981 and in the ancient amphitheatre at Epidaurus, in Greece in the summer of 1982.

Location: Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre, London.
Length: about 5 hours including intervals.

[Location in the NT archive: JH/9/1/5]
© Jocelyn Herbert Estate