MÉDÉE À LA CROISÉE DES CULTURES

Abstract

Max Rouquette’s tragedy Médée and its original representations by the stage director Martinelli offer a vast field for the study of transcultural exchanges. After having been written in Occitan, the text has been translated into French by the author himself, who exploits, among other things, the potential of this ancient language. Furthermore, his Médée belongs to the social group of gypsies. The staging of Martinelli deletes this element, and moves the tragedy to an African space. The actors and musicians are from Burkina Faso, the chorals are sung by griottes, a social group of great significance, keeper of African traditions. The chorals are translated and sung in dioula, an African language, and they are accompanied by African music and instruments. The text and its representations create, through its scenic means, dialogues between the old and the new, the West and Africa, transposing aesthetic values, arts, situations and human conditions.