Aeschylus: Agamemnon (1983 TV) part 1/10

A complete performance in the ancient style--all males under masks with singing voices, music and limited motion. link below to one-page playlist of all 10 videos in this "Agamemnon": http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=4A606964367287EA link below to a playlist of 'The Oresteia' in it's entirety: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5494FD96045CE1F9 The National Theatre of Great Britain Oresteia Company in masks by Jenny West. Translated by Tony Harrison. The cast includes James Carter, Timothy Davies, Philip Donaghy, Roger Cartland, Greg Hicks, Kenny Ireland, and John Normington. Director: Peter Hall This ancient use of masks I think helps the modern audience to focus on the plot, and not psycological study or drama of the individual characters. This is Aeschylus' aim--focus on the God's actions, the fate of the house of Atreus, and how justice is maintained. As Aristotle said in his Poetics [Chapter 5, 1450a] ...the incidents and the plot are the end at which tragedy aims, and in everything the end aimed at is of prime importance....The plot then is the first principle and as it were the soul (psuchê) of tragedy: character comes second.