Theatre and Politics in Classical Athens

The world of the Athenian tragic stage and the world of its audience present a striking contrast. The plays were performed at festivals sponsored and managed by the democracy. Yet the plays themselves (probably almost 1800 plays performed over the lifetime of the democracy) were almost invariably set in a remote world ruled by kings, the world familiar from Homeric epic. At the same time, the political experience and values of democratic Athens impact on the content of the plays in different, sometimes disconcerting, ways. The lecture will look at the complex and shifting relationship between tragedy and Athenian democracy and modern attempts to explain that relationship. Comedy engages more directly with contemporary politics; but even here the relationship between the world inside the theatre and the world outside proves slippery. The lecture will also look at the complementary relationship between tragedy and comedy in their engagement with contemporary Athenian political life.

Professor Chris Carey is Emeritus Professor of Greek at University College London. His research interests include Greek lyric poetry, tragedy and comedy, oratory, rhetoric and law. He has published widely on Greek literature. He is a fellow of the British Academy. Chris is originally from Liverpool

The event will be held at Liverpool College, Queen's Drive, Liverpool L18 8BG

Access to the venue, Mossley Vale Hall, Liverpool College, is via the Prep School entrance on Queens Drive. There is very limited parking on site, but on road parking on Queens Road and around Sefton Park. Use this link for location https://w3w.co/friday.pool.swift or alternatively there is a map here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s-InZqt-W0tKgSEeSaD_CgnAFryb78az/view?usp=sharing entrance is on Queens Drive (marked with pink arrows and MV Hall is clearly marked)

Doors open 6.30pm. Talk is 7-8pm followed by questions.

Please bring money for:

• Teas, coffees and cakes available.
• Raffle
• Second hand books

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As space is limited, if you are unable to attend please cancel your ticket to enable others to come.

This event is organised in conjunction with The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies

Host or Publisher Liverpool Classical Association