Greek Tragedies for Contemporary Times: Three Reimagined Classical Plays

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Three electrifying, fresh takes on Greek classics, adapting their stories to the modern day to address contemporary issues. Protest, desire, free will; the central themes of Greek classics have never been more prescient. In this specially commissioned trio of plays, modern writers utilise these well-known plays and their timeless themes to speak to 21st century issues. Lysistrata by Sophie Ellerby. Between working a zillion part-time jobs and campaigning to save the NHS, sixth year medical student Lysistrata is struggling to stay afloat. When a viral social media thread calls for all medical students to strike, she knows the perfect place to stage her protest the local STI clinic. The Bacchae by Katherine Soper. When a group of young women discover the mysterious and charming Bacchus, they instantly form an unshakeable devotion to him and each other it has awakened something inside of them that cannot be contained. The Trojan Women by Dipo Baruwa-Etti. The country is in a terrible financial state and the cost of living destroying lives. At a foodbank, a local councillor works with and helps others, mostly single mothers, though even the volunteers are struggling not just monetarily, but in their spirits, wondering how much power they have and if they have control over their destinies. These plays were first commissioned by the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre for the SPRINGBOARD programme - a course that finds, inspires, and champions the next generation of performers from underrepresented backgrounds - this trio of plays offers not only imaginative and thought-provoking takes on Greek classics, but fantastic performance opportunities for students and actors.

Author Bio

Katherine Soper is a playwright whose plays include the Bruntwood Prize-winning Wish List (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 2016, and Royal Court, London, 2017). Dipo Baruwa-Etti is a playwright, poet and filmmaker. In 2020, he was shortlisted for the George Devine Award and was the Channel 4 playwright on attachment at the Almeida Theatre. Sophie Ellerby is a playwright and screenwriter based in the East Midlands. Her writing is built around bold, beautifully flawed characters, and aims to tackle provocative societal questions in an accessible and human way,