myth

One of my active research interests is the use of myth in contemporary theatre and performance. I started out looking at adaptations of myth from different eras in theatre history (in particular adaptations of Oedipus). That particular piece of research is coming to an end and now I'm gently moving on to look at the sign-system/structure a myth has and how that sign-system/structure can be rebuilt from found texts. My initial interest in this idea came from looking the work of playwright Charles Mee his (re)making project website is worth a visit.

My work on 'performed' myth (most recent first):
The Frogs (March 2007)
A free adaptation of Aristophanes classic play.
Nothing to do with Dionysus (January 2007)
A version of The Bacchae, containing the textual remains of other Bacchae and sundry sexy dances.
14 Found Photographs (March 2006)
I then directed a short piece called Found Photographs, using movement and text inspired by found images from magazines, books and here.
Orestes (December 2005)
This was a re-working of Orestes 2.1, complete with live and recorded video and sound interaction between performer and multimedia, messed up sound design and a number of naughty nurses.

Oedipus, Myth and TheatrE
 "The modern mythopedia, which provides possibility for a playwright, contains within its plastic structure the sum total of discourse, both textually and extra-textually, around the Oedipus tale. Tthe significant foundation for this mythopedia, the pseudo Ur-Oedipus, is the Oedipus of Sophocles. Thus the basis of the Oedipus mythopedia is a structured narrative that continues to strongly influence subsequent versions. Using a canonical text as a beginning allows a basis from which to move forward through time and examine subsequent adaptations."

Although I won't be putting any more of this thesis on these pages, you could peruse my current bibliography.

Production Posters