Tereus

In Tereus, we hear the story of King Tereus and two princesses, the sisters Philomela and Procne. They tell the story of a lost tragedy by Sophocles, of which only seventeen short fragments have survived. The narrators retell this ancient drama, but each tries to steer the story in their direction.

As with all tragedies, there’s plenty of suffering: the princesses endure a terrible fate. But the play also highlights the deep bond between the two sisters, and we also learn about Greek birds - who could resist that?

In this retelling of Tereus, the narrators look at the themes of this ancient tragedy with a modern perspective and humour. All of Sophocles' surviving verses are woven into the performance.