The Cambridge Greek Play
It's been a week since my visit to Cambridge. Cambridge is beautiful. It is also like an island in the fens. Not especially easy to get to, either by car or train. It's a good few hours from home.
I chose the train. The journey was better than three years ago. I changed the departure station from home to Newark. It knocked about an hour off the previous journey in 2013.
Why three years. It is called the Cambridge Greek play. It is presented triennially by the students of Cambridge university. There are two fundamental aspects to the Greek play: a) It has to be from one of the ancient greek playwrights (for ancient greek playwrights, read ancient Athenian playwrights. All the extant play we have come from Athens) that is, in date order; Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. And, b) It is spoken entirely in ancient Greek.
In 2016 they tragic play was by Sophocles. It was, Antigone, part of the Sophocles' 'Theban Plays. These encompassed the myth of Oedipus and his descendants. For those who don't know the myth of Oedipus, then, blimey, you are missing out!
The Antigone is tragic and heartbreaking in equal measure. The eponymous heroine, who ultimately dies a horrible death (as do many others in the play), challenges the rule of man, by ensuring the rules of the gods is followed. They all day as a result of this conflict. It was wonderful to watch.
The Tragic play is then followed by an ancient greek comedy. For ancient greek comedy, again, read Athenian. We only really have Aristophanes. And boy, is Aristophanes a comedic genius. If you needed to answer, what period of UK comedy would Aristophanes' comedy fit best into? You'd probably go 1970's. It's as if he decided to create a version of 'Carry on Athens'. The comedy is startling similar.
This year we had his comedy, the Lysistrata. A brief synopsis: The Athenians and Spartans are at war (again – Greeks were always at war with each other). The women folk were becoming bored and lonely as the men were always away fighting. So, Lysistrata, an Athenian women, takes over the Acropolis and persuades the women of Athens and Sparta to go on a sex strike! Hilarity ensues…
Hence the Badge given out at the show!
I chose the train. The journey was better than three years ago. I changed the departure station from home to Newark. It knocked about an hour off the previous journey in 2013.
Why three years. It is called the Cambridge Greek play. It is presented triennially by the students of Cambridge university. There are two fundamental aspects to the Greek play: a) It has to be from one of the ancient greek playwrights (for ancient greek playwrights, read ancient Athenian playwrights. All the extant play we have come from Athens) that is, in date order; Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. And, b) It is spoken entirely in ancient Greek.
In 2016 they tragic play was by Sophocles. It was, Antigone, part of the Sophocles' 'Theban Plays. These encompassed the myth of Oedipus and his descendants. For those who don't know the myth of Oedipus, then, blimey, you are missing out!
The Antigone is tragic and heartbreaking in equal measure. The eponymous heroine, who ultimately dies a horrible death (as do many others in the play), challenges the rule of man, by ensuring the rules of the gods is followed. They all day as a result of this conflict. It was wonderful to watch.
The Tragic play is then followed by an ancient greek comedy. For ancient greek comedy, again, read Athenian. We only really have Aristophanes. And boy, is Aristophanes a comedic genius. If you needed to answer, what period of UK comedy would Aristophanes' comedy fit best into? You'd probably go 1970's. It's as if he decided to create a version of 'Carry on Athens'. The comedy is startling similar.
This year we had his comedy, the Lysistrata. A brief synopsis: The Athenians and Spartans are at war (again – Greeks were always at war with each other). The women folk were becoming bored and lonely as the men were always away fighting. So, Lysistrata, an Athenian women, takes over the Acropolis and persuades the women of Athens and Sparta to go on a sex strike! Hilarity ensues…
Hence the Badge given out at the show!
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