Simon Armitage on Greek Tragedy
Anne McElvoy discusses the legacy of Greek myth with poets Simon Armitage and Frank McGuinness, classicist Natalie Haynes and writer Kenan Malik.
Anne McElvoy talks to the poet Simon Armitage about his dramatisation of The Last Days of Troy. His play, based on Homer's epic, reveals how cycles of conflict and revenge, pride and self-deception continue throughout history. Greek myth is at the heart of a new opera, Thebans, in which the playwright and poet Frank McGuinness draws on the tragedy of the mythical monarch Oedipus and his daughter Antigone. Natalie Haynes explores what happens when troubled teenagers become enthralled by Greek tales of cruel fate and bloody revenge in her debut novel, while Kenan Malik goes on a quest for a moral compass.
Producer: Katy Hickman.
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Simon Armitage
Simon Armitage is a poet, playwright and novelist.
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The Last Days of Troy is on at the Royal Exchange, Manchester from 8 May - 7 June and then at Shakespeare’s Globe, London from 10 - 28 June.
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The play is published by Faber & Faber.
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Frank McGuinness
Frank McGuinness is a playwright and poet.
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Thebans, with words by Frank McGuinness and composed by Julian Anderson, is at the London Coliseum until 3 June.
Natalie Haynes
Natalie Haynes is a writer, broadcaster, reviewer and classicist.
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The Amber Fury is published by Corvus.
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Kenan Malik
Kenan Malik is a writer, lecturer and broadcaster.
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The Quest for a Moral Compass: A Global History of Ethics is published by Atlantic Books.
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Anne McElvoy |
| Interviewed Guest | Simon Armitage |
| Interviewed Guest | Frank McGuinness |
| Interviewed Guest | Natalie Haynes |
| Interviewed Guest | Kenan Malik |
| Producer | Katy Hickman |
Broadcasts
- Mon 5 May 2014 09:00Â鶹Éç Radio 4
- Mon 5 May 2014 21:30Â鶹Éç Radio 4
Podcast
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