Character
The scene between Medea and Jason portrays a lack of movement among actors. Medea and Jason are the only actors who appear to incorporate movement while they communicate. Characters utilize formal language while addressing each other. The proximity of characters in Ninagawa’s scene is closer than that of Medea and Jason’s scene. Medea’s tone in both scenes depicts terrible anger concerning her isolation, and she also speaks passionately concerning her love for Jason.
Spectacle
Medea and Jason’s scene has more lighting compared to Ninagawa’s scene. However, the guards in Medea and Jason’s scene are blocked from the lighting. Costumes worn in both scenes represent the authenticity of the character’s culture. Ninagawa characters have worn traditional Japanese attire while Medea characters have worn traditional Greek attire.
Sound
The use of silence is evident in Medea and Jason’s scene; it is apparent that the two characters pause while they communicate to ensure that the message disseminated is well comprehended. Ninagawa’s scene utilizes auditory elements as music is heard from the background. The orator speaks passionately and with great conviction as though he is reprimanding the main character Medea. The characters then communicate in unison to demonstrate the seriousness of the matter (2020). The removal of the ribbon signifies Medea renouncing her love for Jason.
Reflection
Both scenes employed diverse production styles to disseminate their message. However, I felt that the message was clearer in Medea and Jason’s scene because it was straightforward, and the language utilized was relatable. Characters’ tone of voice and facial expressions depicted the seriousness of the matter and how passionate they were toward each other. After viewing this particular scene, I became more aware of Medea’s passion for Jason and the anger she felt about being isolated. Medea states the great extent she went to so that she could get married to Jason (Medea, 1982). She describes the horrible killings she did and her defiance to her people to be with Jason. While she speaks, she demonstrates great emotions to depict how she felt. The scene brought clarity about Medea’s true nature as a concerned mother who cared for her children, and loved her husband. It further demonstrates how she regretted having loved Jason.
