Listings and Reviews of Performances from 1 January 2005
Listings are published in reverse order of date of first night.*
Delphi, Texas by Zachary Dunbar
17th - 19th May, 2005, Stage Space, Pleasance Theatre, Islington, London.
An adaptation of Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus, set in the wild west cattle country. Uses a chorus of cattle, an invented poetic frontier verse, the archived frontier music, and the creation of an entirely mythic world that translpants the tragic landscape from its ancient roots to the modern.
For further information see Pleasance Theatre Website
Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles
Adapted by Jonathan Shelley
17th - 21st May, 2005, 7.45pm, 8pm Saturday (Matinees 2.00pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday) The Other Space, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, UK Box office 01242 572573
The Bacchae by Euripides
1st May 2005, 7.00pm. Grass Roots Greeks at Sixth at Penn, 3704 6th Avenue, San Diego, California, USA.
Translated by Marianne McDonald. Readings by David S. Cohen, Rosina Reynolds, Kurt Reichert.
In honor of May Day, the great final statement of Euripidean drama and Dionysiac ritual will be read, featuring premiere San Diego actress Rosina Reynolds as Agave.
See Grass Roots Greek website for further details or contact
Dale Morris at DaleM@sixthatpenn.com
Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel
29 April - 21 May, 2005, New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
Directed by Gwenda Hughes. Performed in the round.
Further details: New
Vic Theatre
Sex, Death and a Baked Swan by Deborah Cook
26 April - 29 May, 2005, Tue-Fri 7.45pm, Sat-Sun 6.45pm [Previews from 15 April, Press Night 28 April 7.30pm] Rosemary Branch Theatre, 2 Shepperton Road, Islington, London N1 3DT
Directed by Robert Gillespie
Londinium, 2 AD, three Roman women determined to survive... Inspired by ancient
recipes and archaeological remains in Southwark, ace Eastenders scriptwriter
Deborah Cook has concocted two intriguing tales of Roman women far from
home.
A Baked Swan:
Flavia is preparing yet another dinner party for her husband and his
associates, where exotic ingredients peppered with spicy Roman gossip
combine to leave a pungent aftertaste.
Lysistrata by Aristophanes
26 - 30 April, 2005, at 7.45pm (matinee Sat 30th at 2.45pm)
at the Crescent Theatre, Ron Barber Studio, Birmingham, UK.
Translation by George Theodoridis. Performance by Crescent Theatre Company.
Antigone by Sophocles
8 April - 8 May, 2005, Thursday through Saturday at 8.00pm, Sunday at 2.00pm.
Grass Roots Greeks at Sixth at Penn, 3704 6th Avenue, San Diego, California, USA.
Directed by Delicia Turner Sonnenberg. Translated by Marianne McDonald. With Dale Morris as Creon and Jennifer Eve Krause as Antigone.
McDonald's translation, which premiered in Ireland in 1999 in a production directed by Athol Fugard, is economical, compact, and highly effective.
See Grass Roots Greek website for further details or contact Dale Morris at DaleM@sixthatpenn.com
The Odyssey by Homer
7 April - 7 May, 2005. Courtyard Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse.
A new retelling after Homer by David Farr. Directed by David Farr.
For further details see West Yorkshire Playhouse Website
Electricidad based on Electra by Sophocles
2 April - 29 May, 2005, Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum at the Music Center, Los Angeles, USA
West Coast première of Luis Alfara's Electricidad, directed by Lisa Peterson.
For further information see Mark Taper Forum
Hecuba by Euripides
26 March - 7 May, 2005, Royal Shakespeare Company, Albery Theatre, London
Director Laurence Boswell. Vanessa
Redgrave will play Hecuba.
Further details RSC Website and
Albery
Theatre Website
Electra by Sophocles
23 March - 9 April , 2005, at The Royal Exchange Theatre,
Manchester.
This version of Sophocles' Electra, is written and directed
by Jo Combes. In this new adaptation, Sophocles’ original dysfunctional
family is transferred to the shores of 1950s God-fearing Ireland. Details
of times and ticket prices to follow.
Further details Royal
Exchange Theatre Website
Antigone by Sophocles
23 - 24 March, 2005, performed by New Vic Senior Youth Theatre
at New Vic Theatre,
Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
The stark and tragic story of the weak standing up to the strong, doing
what is right rather than what is easy. Will the king live to regret
his abuse of power? Is any man above the laws of the gods?
Performed in the round.
Further details New Vic Theatre
Medeia by Euripides
17 March - 2 April 2005. Performances nightly at 7:15pm. Performed by Third World Bunfight at Spier Arts, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa.
Director: Brett Bailey
A thrilling guided tour into a glittering African world of passion, xenophobia and revenge, set in a refugee camp not far from Stellenbosh. Based on Dutch playwright, Oscar van Woensel’s recent adaptation of Medeia, the play incorporates the lyrics of pop stars such as Madonna, R.E.M. and The Beatles and meanders through the set of a squatter camp.
Read a Review
Thesmophoriazousae by Aristophanes
11-12 March, 2005, 8.00pm, presented by the Royal Holloway Classical Society, Royal Holloway, University of London.
For further details email: rhulclassicalsociety@hotmail.com
Women of Troy by Euripides
3-5 March, 2005, Wycombe Swan Town Hall Theatre, Wycombe, Bucks
9-12 March, 2005,The Broadway Theatre, Lewisham, London.
Performed by Tight Fit Theatre Company. Adapted and directed by
Mark Oldknow.
Further details Tight Fit
Theatre
Knights by Aristophanes
1-5 March, 2005, 7.30pm, extra performances on 2 & 4 at 1.30pm. Presented by the Department of Greek and Latin, University College London at the Bloomsbury Theatre. The Friday matinee will be preceeded by lectures on the play addressed to school audiences. Performed as part of the London Festival of Greek Drama.
Further details Dept. Website
Daedalus and Medea
1, 3, 7, 8, 10, 14, 15, 17, March, 2005. All at 11.00am at the National Theatre (Olivier Stage) London.
Storytelling for 7-14 Year olds These enthralling stories are brought to life on the National's stage by three of Britain's finest storytellers -Daedalus : Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton, Medea : Jan Blake
Tickets £4 Further Details on the NT website
A Very Naughty Greek Play by Aquila Theatre Company
25 February - 20 March, 2005, Performances are Wednesday - Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 5 & 9pm, and Sunday at 3pm at Baruch Performing Arts Center is located at 25th Street (between Lexington & Third Avenues).
The piece was conceived and created by Aquila, based on artistic director Peter Meineck's translation of Aristophanes' Wasps. Music is by Anthony Cochrane. The cast includes Robert Richmond, Alex Webb, Richard Willis and Cochrane.
Tickets are $45 and $25, and are available by phoning Telecharge at (212) 239-6200.
A limited number of Greek Seats (General Admission stage side seating in the style of ancient
Greek Theatre where audiences may be called upon to join in with the action of the show) are
available for $15.
Further details Aqulia Company Website
Rhesus (sometimes ascribed to
Euripides)
9-11 February, 2005, 7.30pm. Additional matinee performances on 9 and 10 at 3.00pm. Presented by the Department of Greek and Latin, University College London at the Bloomsbury Theatre. Performances will be preceded by a presentation in English that rehearses the events of Homer Iliad X.
Performed as part of the London Festival of Greek Drama.