Full Description
Iphigenia in Splott is a one-woman play, first seen in 2015, loosely adapted from the ancient Greek tragedy by Euripides' Iphigenia in Aulis.
The title character, Iphigenia (or "Effie"), finds escape from the harsh reality of her life in drink, drugs and one-night stands. The ancient Greek play is re-told against the backdrop of a crumbling welfare state and reveals the impact of austerity and social injustice on those who have little to lose.
The play has enjoyed international acclaim, having been performed in Cardiff (Sherman Cymru ), London (Lyric Hammersmith & National Theatre), Berlin (Schaubühne) and in New York (59E59 Theatres). In the UK, it won Best New Play at the UK Theatre Awards, 2015.
This Student Edition of Gary Owen's critically celebrated play includes a commentary by Lucy Jackson, which considers:
* The rules of Greek drama and how they inform this play;
* Its basis in the Greek myth of Iphigenia and the Euripidean play Iphigenia at Aulis;
* The context that unites a 21st-century audience with an audience in ancient Greece;
* Modern and ancient notions of tragedy;
* Owen's use of poetic verse compared with that used in ancient drama;
* Various modern interpretations of the Iphigenia myth in theatre and literature;
* Owen's representation of marginalised voices in the play and his portrait of working-class lives;
* The notion of female sacrifice
* Key productions of the play to date and notable staging choices
Notes to the play are included at the back of the edition to help students de-code some of the play's references.
Contents
Chronology
Contexts
Greek myth and Euripides
Modern and Ancient Ideas of Tragedy
Culture contexts: 21st-century Iphigenias
Themes
Politics of the play
Female sacrifice
Dramatic Devices
Dramaturgy, form and poetry
Structure
Language
Production History
Key productions with dates and staging choices
Critical Reception
Further Resources
IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT
Notes to the play
