On Friday night, the Greek dramatic tradition that spawned infamous characters like Oedipus and Medea will merge with modern tastes and sensibilities at the University Theatre.

3rd year directing master of fine arts candidate Talish Barrow will present her directorial thesis, a production of Timberlake Wertenbaker’s “The Love of the Nightingale,” which is a gruesome adaptation of a Greek myth detailing the rape of Philomele.

The story begins when two Greek city-states, Athens and Thebes, go to war over a land dispute. The king of Thrace, Tereus, aids the Athenians, helping them secure a sound victory. For his efforts, the king of Athens grants Tereus marriage rites with the Athenian maiden Procne.

After the war, the new couple returns to Thrace, but Procne, feeling alone and alienated by the Thracians in this new land, wishes for the companionship of her sister Philomele. When Tereus goes to retrieve Philomele for his new bride, his intentions shift from duteous to amorous. The story descends into a series of vile and violent deeds as Tereus tries to hide the rape and Philomele seeks justice.

Many conventions of the plot, sound and costume design allude to an ancient Greek ancestry. The play features a reactive chorus, much in the vein of the Hellenistic tradition. The show also utilizes a soundtrack, designed by fellow master of fine arts candidate Krystal Kennel, riddled with bone-rattling drumming and flutes of varying timbre and qualities academics and historians believe appeared on the antique stage. Further, the actors appear in more traditional leather battle uniforms (think “300”), designed by fellow master of fine arts candidate William Curry. While all of these pieces point towards old, epic theatre of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, Barrow is quick to point out that the show resonates with modernity.

“The story itself is based on the myth … but there are many newer ideas. The way the chorus is used to sort of come out of the story and reflect on it outside the story is different. The sensibilities in language and the way the story is told [are very modern]. There are certain things that are in [“The Love of the Nightingale”] that are nowhere in the myth, that add primarily emotional impact. With the myth you just get plot points. Here a character like Tereus is presented as a full human being, rather than simply the monster of the myth,” Barrow said.

And while Greek social and political machinations may be over 2,000 years removed from Madison, Barrow feels the story could not be any more relevant to a modern audience.

“The play talks to what I see as the very dangerous thinking of anyone being less than human, making them into ‘the other.’ By calling them ‘Oh, you’re Thracian,’ or ‘That’s a terrorist,’ or ‘That’s a Republican, and I’m a Democrat.’ All the ways we’ve found to separate ourselves are pretty dangerous. … But I love that the play ends with hope. … I think this all makes it very relevant to today,” Barrow said.

With such a poignant message and displaying a well-integrated sense of old and new, light, sound and gory action, “The Love of the Nightingale” should provide any interested theatergoers with an entertaining and thought-provoking evening.

“The Love of the Nightingale” runs Oct. 17 through Nov. 1 at the Hemsley Theatre. Contact the Vilas or Union box offices for ticket information.