Classical Play 2012 - Hippolytus

Hipploytus Flyer


The UCL Classical Drama Society in association with the Bloomsbury Theatre presents Euripides’ Hippolytus, a fantastical and haunting interpretation of this extremely poignant play. Hippolytus tells the tale of how a young man, obsessed with the pursuit of purity, unknowingly becomes a victim of the Goddess Aphrodite’s vengeance. As the Goddess’ plan unfolds, Phaedra, his stepmother, becomes consumed with passion for him, but will she break society’s conventions and give in to unnatural desire, or protect her reputation and that of her family. As the battle between divine and mortal will begins the House of Theseus is thrown into a sequence of uncontrollable and tragic events.

Beautifully translated into English by Anne Carson, this unsettling tragedy is brought to life with elaborate costumes, contemporary video art and enchanting music which fuse the imagery of natural elements and fantasy. This production leaves our protagonists caught between free will and the capricious temper of the Gods while drawing attention to the fundamentally hubristic nature of human kind and the inevitable whimsical and inescapable wrath of the Gods that results from such transgressions.

RUNNING TIME: 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES

Ancient Plays for Modern Minds: A Public Engagement Programme

To complement this year’s production of Hippolytus, we are offering a series of talks and workshops, generously supported by the Hellenic Society, we are offering a series of talks and workshops, which aim to illuminate the play and its context and to bring Euripides to life for a modern generation. This exciting programme includes talks by academic experts on ancient drama and its reception, as well as interactive workshops by contemporary theatre practitioners. There are events on every day of the play’s performance, and each talk or workshop deals with an important angle of interpreting or performing Hippolytus. All of our speakers have experience in working with schools, and the events will be suitable for students of Classics, Classical Studies, and Drama, as well as accessible to those without prior experience of Greek drama.

All events are free of charge and open to all. However, the participatory nature of the workshops means that space is limited, and pre-booking is therefore essential. We would also recommend pre-booking for the lectures, in order to avoid potential disappointment on the day: please reserve places for your group by emailing l.swift@ucl.ac.uk. The workshops will last approximately 2 hours; the talks will last approximately 45 minutes, with time for questions at the end. Please note that workshop participants should be aged 16 and above.

For the venue locations, please see the online route planner at http://crf.casa.ucl.ac.uk/ or the campus maps at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/locations/ucl-maps

  • Tuesday 7th February

3.15pm, Participatory Workshop: ‘Staging the chorus in contemporary theatre’, Russell Bender, Staff Director, National Theatre. Venue: Haldane Room
6pm, Public Talk: “The gods in Hippolytus” Professor Judith Mossman, University of Nottingham. Venue: Institute of Archaeology Lecture Theatre.

  • Wednesday 8th February

3.15pm, Participatory Workshop: “Negotiating desire in Hippolytus’. Dr Matthew Hiscock, free lance theatre director and lecturer in Classics at UCL. Venue: Room 432, School of Slavonic & East European Studies, Taviton St.
6pm Public Talk: ‘Choice, responsibility, and action in Hippolytus’ Dr Laura Swift, UCL. Venue: Christopher Ingold Auditorium, 20 Gordon St

  • Thursday 9th February

3.15pm Participatory Workshop: ‘Physical theatre and ancient drama’, Sasha Milavic Davies, Assistant Director, Complicite Theatre. Venue: Room SB1, 188 Tottenham Court Road
6pm, Public Talk: “Conflicting worlds in Hippolytus”, Professor Chris Carey, UCL. Venue: Christopher Ingold Auditorium, 20 Gordon St.


Study Resources

Read blog entries from academics and the students taking part in the play on the play itself

Adam Lecznar writes about Hippolytus and its legacy, including questions for further study.

Further Reading

Two websites that provide background to the myths behind Euripides’ Hippolytus and to general themes in the play.
http://www.temple.edu/classics/hippomythho/index.html
http://classics.uc.edu/~johnson/tragedy/hippolytus.html
A website detailing some of the common tropes in popular culture that can be found in Euripides’ Hippolytus.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Hippolytus
The text of Seneca’s Phaedra.
http://www.theoi.com/Text/SenecaPhaedra.html
A useful introduction to the themes and content of Seneca’s play.
http://www.gradesaver.com/phaedra/study-guide/
This is a useful resource which introduces Racine’s Phèdre in terms of its text and stagecraft, and also explains something about this play’s legacy.
http://www.textetc.com/workshop/wt-racine-1.html
Phèdre by Jean Racine: A Study Guide.
http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides3/Phaedra.html
Review by Michael Billington of a recent production of Racine’s Phèdre.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009/jun/12/phedre-theatre-review
‘Sarah Kane’s Phaedra’s Love’ reviewed by Steve Barfield.
http://www.didaskalia.net/reviews/2006/2006_12_21_03.html


Page last modified on 25 apr 12 12:25