Greek Tragedies for Contemporary Times

<p><b>Three electrifying, fresh takes on Greek classics, adapting their stories to the modern day to address contemporary issues.</b><br>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.<br><b><i>Lysistrata</i></b> 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.<br><b><i>The Bacchae</i></b> 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.<br><b><i>The Trojan Women</i></b> 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.<br>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.</p>