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Overview
Synopsis
Penelope, the wise and patient wife of the ancient Greek hero Odysseus, has passed beyond the veil of death. From Hades - the land of the dead - Penelope can see everything about her past and present, including her historical reputation as a perfectly faithful wife. However, she is haunted by the blood on her hands: the deaths of her twelve maids who were slaughtered by Odysseus under false pretenses. Begging the audience not to follow in her footsteps, Penelope re-tells the story of The Odyssey from her point of view, through a series of visions spanning her life.
Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel by the same name, The Penelopiad is a poetic, feminist re-imagining of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey. The play is beautifully rendered in both prose and verse in contemporary language, and is brimming with powerful symbolism that will leave audiences shaken.
Show Information
- Book
- Margaret Atwood
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- The Penelopiad
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2007
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings, Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- The underworld, Ancient Greece
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- See CONTEXT AND/OR LINKS TAB
- Ideal For
- College/University, Ensemble Cast, Large Cast, Mostly Female Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Includes Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
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Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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