Standard issue for all women.

Hello, hello and welcome to this episode of the Standard Issue podcast, brought to you by me,

Nikki Noonan and an ethical nightmare of a woman.

Yes, there's an and there, and no, I don't mean my guest, author, broadcaster and classicist

Natalie Haynes, who is always a blooming delight,

but rather her latest subject, Medea.

The story of Medea has been popular since antiquity and continues to endure today,

not least because big names want what's undoubtedly one of the Meteos female roles in theatre.

Meteorist, in its most gruesome sense,

as Medea is most famous for killing her children

in order to get revenge on her faithless husband, Jason.

That's right, him of the Argonauts.

Or at least that's the headlines.

It is, of course, more complicated, if no less horrifying than that.

So I was super chuffed that Natalie's

latest novel, No Friend to This House, is her take on the Medea story, a take that's as astutely

feminist as ever. I love her writing. We are chatting about Medea as witch and midwife,

Medea as refugee, and why Medea has proven so endlessly fascinating

and sympathetic for storytellers and story listeners alike. No friend to this house is published

by Mantle on Thursday, but available for pre-order now, and you can find out where near you

Natalie is touring by following her on X at Official N. Haynes and on Insta at Natalie

Haynes author. And as ever, there's extra interview for our £5 and above patrons. Get involved

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