We are pleased to welcome Peter Freund for our first Talking History of 2022. Peter will explore the reception of the Ancient Greek tragedy, ‘Medea’ in the Victorian colony and its place in the fight for women’s rights.
‘Medea’ may not fit with the popular idea of theatre on the Victorian goldfields. While colonial theatres were isolated and often primitive, the entertainment they supplied included challenging and contemporary plays, often performed by leading actors from Great Britain, Europe and the United States. This talk considers the version of ‘Medea’ brought to the colonies by visiting tragediennes and the public response it received - providing an insight into attitudes towards deserted wives and families.
Peter studied history at the University of Melbourne before training as an actor at the Victorian College of the Arts. After moving to Ballarat in 1989 he started researching aspects of the history of the performing arts in Ballarat and the goldfields region. He worked at Her Majesty's Theatre, Ballarat as Publicist and Theatre Historian, publishing a history of the theatre in 2010 titled ‘Her Maj’. He currently works at the Art Gallery of Ballarat as Marketing and Public Programs Officer.
Image: Cover illustration for Medea by Ernest Legouvé, translated by Matilda Heron, Dicks' Standard Play, 1857
