Grzegorz Jarzyna was already fairly well known to the Vienna public and critics prior to begining work on Medea. In 2002, his version of Thomas Vinterberg's work was well received and so it was no surprise that large numbers of critics appeared at the Burgtheatr im Kasino for the premiere of his Medea. Jarzyna succeeded in pleasing them yet again; he demonstrated that the myth of Medea is no less relevant today than when it was first conceived.

The director was helped by good cooperation with the native actors, as well as his Polish co-artists. Magda Maciejewska created an elegant scenography, which blended seamlessly into the elegent interior of the Kasino. Jaqueline Sobiszewski helped out as lighting director, and Jacek Grudzień deepened the dramatic intensity of the play with his music score. In all; the Austrian and Polish artists cooperated very smoothly. Grzegorz Jarzyna is the first Polish director since the times of Erwin Axer (1970s) who was given the honor of directing at the Burgtheatr. He did not have an easy task, since Medea was already performed previously in well received versions by Franz Grillparzer or Heiner Muller, not to mention the film adaptation by Pier Paolo Pasolini and Lars von Triera. Jarzyna, however, was fascinated by Medea; the myth of the mother who murders her own children, and was determined to present her as a typical "woman from the neighborhood." Women who do similar things can be read