An Homage to w.H. aUDEN's poem
She looked over his shoulder
For vines and olive trees,
Marble well-governed cities
And ships upon untamed seas,
But there on the shining metal
His hands had put instead
An artificial wilderness
And a sky like lead.
The story
Inspired by the W.H. Auden poem of the same name, The Shield of Achilles puts the focus of the famous myth on Achilles’ mother, Thetis, and the consequences of the choices she makes out of love. Widowed and desperate to protect her son, the sea goddess dedicates herself entirely to preserving her son’s life, without considering the consequences her decisions would have on him and the people around him. With dialogue in iambic pentameter and set to a stirring soundtrack, The Shield of Achilles spins a 90-minute tragic tale of love, loss, and madness, exploring the fleeting beauty and heavy price of love- and just how much easier it is to preserve the body than the soul.
production team
THETIS: Naomi Tyler Mudge
ACHILLES: Perry Barkett
NARRATOR: Sam Fidler
GALATEA/DEIDAMIA: Vidisha Agarwalla
PATROCLUS/YOUNG ACHILLES: Cole Stanley
DIRECTOR: David Raposo
STAGE MANAGER: Lee Forest
original Music!
COMPOSER: Nathan Halbur
VOCALS: Chihiro Asano
PIANO: Michael Yang Wierenga
English