The story of Elektra and her mission to avenge her murdered father is one of the most blood-soaked narratives in Greek theatre. Originally set in a Grecian palace, in the years proceeding the Trojan War this Classical tome might not, at a glance, readily yield up any obvious parallels with our modern lives. Not so, say’s Director and co-writer of Belvoir Street Theatre’s Elektra/Orestes, Anne-Louise Sarks. Along with writer Jada Alberts, Sarks has plucked this Classical narrative out of antiquity and placed it in the most ubiquitous setting imaginable: a suburban kitchen.

She speaks to Maxim Boon about bringing Elektra into the 21st Century.

Belvoir’s Elektra/Orestes. Photo © Lisa Tomasetti

What attracted you to tackling Elektra by Sophocles?

I’ve been really interested in the character of Elektra for a while. She’s one of theatre’s most incredible women, almost like a female Hamlet if you will, but it struck me that she doesn’t get quite as much exposure as Hamlet does, so I’ve been keen to do my part to address that for a while. As projects like this often do, once you pull one strand all of these other threads unravel and...