PJ Harvey music for the play Electra

[sanvean]

Amanda Drew, Jack Lowden and Diana Quick will join Kristin Scott Thomas in Sophocles’ tragedy Electra, when it comes to the Old Vic this autumn. Drew, best known for her work in television dramas such as Broadchurch, Southcliffe and Silent Witness, will play Chrysothemis, while Lowden, who won both an Olivier award and the Ian Charleson award for his role as Oswald in Ghosts at Trafalgar Studios, will play Orestes. Quick, best known for playing Lady Julia Flyte in Brideshead Revisited, will play Clytemnestra. The cast also includes Golda Rosheuvel, Thalissa Teixeira and Peter Wright. Frank McGuinness’ adaptation was originally performed in 1997 with Zoe Wanamaker in the title role, for which she won an Olivier award.

The production, directed by Ian Rickson, runs from September 22 to December 20, with press night on October 1.

Design will be by Mark Thompson, lighting by Neil Austin and sound by Simon Baxter.

The production will have music by singer-songwriter PJ Harvey, who has previously composed music for Hamlet at the Young Vic, and for Rickson’s production of Hedda Gabler on Broadway.

Sound will be by Simon Baker, movement by Maxine Doyle and casting by Sam Jones CDG. The show is produced by the Old Vic and Sonia Friedman Productions.

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/producti ... t-electra/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[sau]

And the artistic director at the Old Vic is Kevin Spacey.

[Skinned]

Is anyone going to see Electra at the Old Vic? I'll be there on the 22nd.

[sanvean]

I'll be going to the Old Vic on the 23rd the night after you.

If I have time I'll stop by Somerset House to see an exhibition of Nick Cave photographs by Bleddyn Butcher, it's on until the 28th.
http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual- ... nd-cohorts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Skinned]

Oh cool, thanks for the tip. I'll take a look at the exhibition!

[Kuk91]

At least two people from here were planning to see this play: so, what is her music in this like? Electronic, acoustic, symphonic?

[Kuk91]

Just saw a theatrical play "A Streetcar Named "Desire"" from Young Vic with Gillian Anderson (in russian movie theater). And, as you can probably guess, the main focus for me to go see it was to hear "To Bring You My Love" on the big speakers - which I did, and it was awesome. In fact, they played it twice - in the first act, and also in a BTS featurette during the intermission. The play itself is pretty disturbing and psychedelic, and I mean it as a compliment.

I wish they would screen "Electra" in movie theaters as well.

[Skinned]

Hi guys, the music from Electra were three main themes if I remember correctly. Very dark, atmospheric as you would expect. Autoharp all over the place. The closing theme was particularly ominous, with a single chord repeated obsessively. Overall there was not so much music during the play, it was just in three main points.

[Kuk91]

Autoharp all over the place.

Nice! I think, with this in mind (and with "The Water Is Wide" in ears) we can tell what she's still exploring this sound, and I like it VERY MUCH.

[Skinned]

Yes, although I'm pretty convinced she won't be using the autoharp in the new album or at least not massively. For some reason, I keep thinking the next album will be dark, Is This Desire-ish dark. Let England Shake was imbued with dramatic, disheartening images, but the music was lively, uplifting, hopeful even, or at least that's my reaction to it. Just going back to the studio with Flood and coming up with THAT spectral version of Red Right Hand, being so politically involved, researching cultural memory and war... I don't know, but I can totally see her working on trauma this time round. But being Polly, she might come up with ANYTHING!

[mart]

news from .net (yes, don't fall off your chair!!

http://pjharvey.net/news.asp?newsid=1068&year=2015

NEWS 2015

Electra stage transfer on Radio 3

Radio 3 will be airing the stage transfer of Ian Rickson’s Electra this Sunday at 10pm, featuring original music by PJ Harvey. Click here to tune in.
posted: 07.03.2015

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b051zxlm

[Kuk91]

I should listen to the whole thing first, but if someone gives me the source file, I could chop it down to a few mp3s.

[Dancerboy]

Wow. I didn't fell off my chair but I confess my jaw dropped. I love Sophocles and PJ Harvey, so I really want to listen to this version. Thanks!

[Kuk91]

I loved the music - very intense, a la "A Woman a Man Walked By", but even more sinister (too bad the play is so heavily dialogue-driven, and, to be honest, dialogue is repetitive as hell). Main theme (played at the beginning and in the middle) sounds like a Morricone-ish western placed in Ancient Greece. Wonder if that's Polly herself played the tam-tam (?) in the very final part - impressive ending.

Wish she would release EP with her "theater" music.

[Romario11]

Just realised an audio version of this is on youtube, if anyone wants to listen to it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFxpM4TlrOE