Thyestes: Seneca's Tragedy in a New Version

by Alexander Williams

Seneca's classic Roman Tragedy in a new version by Alexander Williams. First performed at London's Battersea Arts Centre in 2008, this play script is a gory and gripping reimagining of the notorious revenge myth in which Atreus, father of Agamemnon, avenges himself against his brother Thyestes by murdering his children and serving them up for dinner. Favourably reviewed by The Guardian's legendary theatre critic Michael Billington, this adaptation preserves the bare bones of Seneca's original meaty saga while bringing the horror dramatically forward by ditching the traditional messenger and placing the spine-chilling bloodlust of deranged King Atreus centre stage."The Elizabethans may have ransacked Seneca's works, but his Roman tragedies languish in the only Caryl Churchill had been bold enough to translate this classic horror story. Now, Alexander Williams has come up with a radical version that, while spelling out the story's cruelty, ensures we understand the cyclical nature of revenge."Michael Billington, The Guardian

Paperback

Published April 7, 2022