Of the many telling paradoxes afflicting modern man, our inclination to frown at Orestes being mooned on stage by a male representative of the Erinyes while cheering news of any democratic election that might take place in the world, is perhaps the most interesting. The relation between the two phenomena, not immediately apparent, is made so in Jan Klata's version of Aeschylus' Oresteia, performed in Krakow's Stary Theater.

Following the vengeful deed, Orestes is brought to trial by the Erinyes, who, in Klata's rendition, consist of three apparently bored, albeit manipulative women and an exuberant, musically inclined young man. The trial is ostensibly of a democratic character, featuring a vote in which the audience takes part. The question at hand: "for or against Orestes?" To those of us who are thoughtful, a second question immediately presents itself under the circumstances: what does it mean to be "for or against Orestes?" Are we judging the man or the deed, or both? Not surprisingly, lacking any further exposition on this issue, the audience declines to vote (and I have a suspicion that most audiences will indeed decline to vote), and this decision is reflected on a billboard mounted over the stage which reads "0:0" once the votes are counted. Given this result, the hostess of the event is compelled to adjudicate the proceedings herself, and after negligible deliberation comes down "for" Oreste