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BACCHAI
"DIONYSOS:
An empty space and all of you, and me.
And who am I? Dionysus son of Zeus;
God of the vine, god of dramatic rites,
God of the transformation from the humdrum
To the wild abandon of the play.
So let us play, so let us beat the drum,
I have returned to the city of my birth;
To the banks of this broad river,
To where the city ends and the wild begins,
A place poised between two worlds,
To where Semele, the daughter of the old king Cadmus,
My mother, bore me through the lightning fire.
I have come home and taken human form
So my true nature be made manifest,
So that I might suspend the disbelief
Of all who dare not believe in me.
Let’s play, I said. Look and you’ll begin to see."
Bacchai, Euripides, trans. Colin Teevan
Dionysos, the God of wine and theatre has returned to his native land to take revenge on the puritanical Pentheus who refuses to recognise him of his rites. Remorselessly, savagely and with black humour, the God drives Pentheus and all the city to their shocking fate.
This translation of Bacchai was first performed at the National Theatre (Olivier) on 8 May 2002, with the following cast:
DIONYSUS/TEIRESIAS/SERVANT, Greg Hicks
CADMUS/SOLDIER/HERDSMAN, David Ryall
PENTHEUS/AGAVE, William Houston
CHORUS, Nicola Alexis, Ewen Cummins, Lee Haven-
Jones, Chuk Iwuji, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Wendy
Morgan, Richard Morris, Renzo Murrone, Stefani
Pleasance, Margaret Preece, Marie-Gabrielle Rotie,
Rachel Sanders, Geoffrey Streatfeild, Clare
Swinburne, Jax Williams
Director, Peter Hall
Designer, Alison Chitty
Composer, Harrison Birtwistle
Lighting Designer, Peter Mumford
Movement Director, Marie-Gabrielle Rotie
Sound Designer, Paul Groothuis
This version was specially commissioned by the Royal National Theatre for a production in May 2002, which was directed by Sir Peter Hall and scored by Sir Harrison Birtwhistle.
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 ‘Colin Teevan’s bold, speakable translation. . . I was mesmerised throughout’ The Times
‘’Teevan’s translation. . . is crisp and energetic’ Sunday Telegraph
‘Colin Teevan’s new translation, a mix of bold vernacular mannered, jerking rhythms, makes the plays resonances abundantly clear.’ Metro
‘This is a production intent on highlighting the theatrical reflexivity of Bacchai, a tragedy precipitated through a grotesque travesty of comedy by Dionysos, the god of wine, madness – and drama. Colin Teevan’s canny translation expands on this aspect of the play, opening with an interpolated nod to Peter Brook’s definition of theatre: “An empty space and all of you, and me.” Independent
‘Colin Teevan’s translation is eloquent and alludes to contemporary troubles, pointedly emphasising clashes and hidden parallels between cultures of East and West.’ Independent on Sunday
‘vibrant and colloquial new translation’ The Stage
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Bacchai is published by Oberon Books. To order a copy click here.
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