Staging Ancient Greek Plays

Michael Ewans is Conjoint Professor of Drama in the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Science at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His many publications include translations with theatrical commentaries of plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes. He is active in production, and has recently directed professional performances in his own translations of Theocritus’ Love Magic, Euripides’ Medea and Aristophanes’ Lysistrata. He is also the author of Performing Opera: A Practical Guide for Singers and Directors (Methuen Drama, 2016).

• PrefaceNotationDatesSpellingIntroduction: Adaptation and InterpretationChapter One: The Original Conditions of Performance1.1 The Festivals of Dionysos1.2 Performance Practice1.3 The Playing Space1.3.1 Theatron and Orchestra1.3.2 The Skene1.4 Staging Conventions1.5 Costumes and Masks1.6 Actors1.7 The Choros1.8 ‘Realistic’ or ‘Stylized’?Chapter Two: Values, Myth and the Individual, the Gods and Moira2.1 Greek and Modern Values2.2 Myth and the Individual2.3 The Gods and Daimones2.4 Moira2.5 Comedy2.6 Modern PerformanceChapter Three: Performing Greek Drama on the Modern Stage3.1 Translation3.1.1 Introduction3.1.2 Desiderata3.1.3 Comedy3.2 Setting, Costumes and Masks3.2.1 ‘Ancient’ or Modern?3.2.2 Desiderata3.3 Speech and Song3.4 Acting3.4.1 Tragedy3.4.1.2 Solo Speech3.4.1.3 Dialogue and Three-actor Scenes3.4.1.4 Props3.4.1.5 Conclusion3.4.2 Comedy3.4.2.1 The In-Law in The Women’s Festival3.4.2.2 A lazzo in Frogs3.4.2.3 Props3.4.2.4 Conclusion3.5 The Choros3.5.1 Introduction3.5.2 Tragedy3.5.2.1 A Choral Ode3.5.2.2 A Lyric Scene3.5.2.3 A Lyric/dialogue Scene3.5.2.4 Conclusion3.5.3 Comedy3.5.3.1 A Choros Divided3.5.3.2 The Parabasis2.5.3.3 Conclusion3.6 Performing Greek Drama on an End-on Stage3.6.1 Comedy: Peace (2009)3.6.2 Tragedy: Medea (2021)3.6.3 Conclusion3.7 AdieuGlossary of Greek wordsRecommended reading Works citedAppendix 1: Synopses of the Extant Tragedies and ComediesAppendix 2: Some Audio-Visual ResourcesIndex

An excellent handbook for whoever is looking to delve deeper into the culture and the theatre tradition that created some of the most iconic characters and plays ever written. Ewans’ insightful introduction prepares and empowers aspiring practitioners for their exploration of ancient Greek drama.