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From: tbray@mprvaxa
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Re: Greek and Roman Classics
Message-ID: <435@mprvaxa.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 5-Jan-84 00:56:23 EST
Article-I.D.: mprvaxa.435
Posted: Thu Jan  5 00:56:23 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Dec-83 00:53:36 EST
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These Classical Greek works are not only first-class literature, they are
good stage drama and should be presented more often.  I have participated 
in productions of Oedipus the King, Sophocles' Orestes, and Lysistrata.

Any stage company that can't draw tears and anguish with Oedipus the King,
or have 'em rolling in the aisles with just about anything from Aristophanes
is suffering from incompetence.  Not surprisingly, in my experience these work
best when presented in a traditional fashion - masked chorus and historically
accurate dress (In fact, some of the disgustingly obscene sight gags in 
Aristophanes require that the male members of the cast wear robes or 
skirts).  Even a thrust-stage amphitheatre rather than a proscenium
seems to help.

I have attended the Epidaurus festival in Greece and seen the productions
in their original settings.  The visual values were superb, but it woulda
been better if I'd known the language.
Tim Bray ...decvax!microsoft!ubc-vision!mprvaxa!tbray