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What we do
The Thiasos theatre company has a unique approach to the performance of ancient Greek tragedy and comedy. Taking our inspiration from what we know of ancient productions, we put music, dance, and colourful spectacle firmly at the centre; and adopt a formalised acting style which stays true to the historical evidence and the qualities of the ancient texts. Since nothing survives of the original music and choreography, we recreate them using whatever tools we have at our disposal. The music is composed afresh to be sung to the complex rhythms of the Greek originals; and for the rest we turn to the theatrical traditions of other countries where we can still find, alive and thriving, many of the defining features of ancient stagecraft.
We might as well nail our colours to the mast. Behind all of this is neither a drive for authenticity, nor a fashionable flirting with inter-culturalism. Quite simply, we are looking for ways to make ancient drama work on the modern stage, since most modern productions utterly fail to. Don't expect us to be polite about what passes for tragedy on the British stage: we have sat through one too many grim, dreary, self-indulgent (and, yes, well-funded) productions, and our patience is at an end. It seems obvious to us that the conventions of the modern stage are hopelessly unsuited to ancient theatre, that naturalistic acting goes completely against the grain of the scripts, and that the chorus is there to sing and dance, not to chant and weep. It seems obvious to us that ancient drama gains nothing from having a spurious modern 'relevance' foisted onto it. It seems obvious to us that the most successful productions, those with a genuine power to move, are the ones which are able to respect the essentially artificial, coded, nature of this extraordinary art form. It is on this ground that Thiasos takes its stand.
"An innovative and richly talented company, deeply committed to the value, power and presence of their Greek originals." Prof. Michael Silk
"Wonderful, rhythmic productions, exquisitely choreographed and with just the blend of seriousness and fun that a good evening out demands. Don't miss them!" Jeannie Cohen, Friends of Classics |
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Aeschylus |
Aristophanes |
Aristophanes |
Euripides |
Euripides |
Euripides |
Euripides |
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Persians |
Wealth |
Peace
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Medea |
Hippolytos |
Bacchae |
Bacchae 2018 |
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