Argonautika
by Mary Zimmerman
Highlights
Synopsis
As in her Tony Award-winning Metamorphoses , Mary Zimmerman transforms Greek mythology – here the story of Jason and the Argonauts – into a mesmerizing piece of theatre.
Encountering an array of daunting challenges in their “first voyage of the world,” Jason and his crew illustrate the essence of all such journeys to follow – their unpredictability, their inspiring and overwhelming breadth of emotion, and their lessons in the inevitability of failure and loss.
Bursts of humor and fantastical creatures enrich a story whose characters reveal remarkable complexity.
Medea is profoundly sympathetic even as the seeds are sown for the monstrous life ahead of her, and the brute strength of Hercules leaves him no less vulnerable to the vicissitudes of love.
Zimmerman brings to Argonautika her trademark ability to encompass the full range of human experience in a work as entertaining as it is enlightening.
Press Reviews
"A thoroughly engaging version of a timelessly entertaining myth as told by a theatrical imagination of mythic proportions."
— SFGATE
"Zimmerman’s adaptation, introduced in 2006, is lively, funny and easy to follow, spoken in conversational, present-day language. We see in this timeless tale our own challenges, temptations, fears and transforming loves. ‘Awake, arise, and be brave in the face of life’s adversity,’ an Argonaut urges, having learned the hard way. Good advice, that."
— L.A. Times
"With great skill for concise storytelling, Zimmerman condenses this epic into 2½ hours – quite an achievement."
— Variety
"All-new, typically smart, fresh, endlessly imaginative and thoroughly enjoyable."
— Chicago Tribune
"Depicting mythical events using puppetry and other simple, theatrical flourishes, Argonautika gracefully flows from episode to episode with injections of humor and a philosophical perspective... As all myths do, this material deals with dark stuff, but somehow, in Zimmerman’s hands, it comes off feeling oddly comforting, even gentle, giving this show the same type of potential appeal – to both sophisticated and mainstream audiences – as Metamorphoses."
— Variety
Characters
| Character |
|---|
Pelias’ Son |
Idmon |
Meleager |
Castor |
Pollux |
Tiphys |
Hercules |
Hylas |
Atalanta |
Uncle (Of Meleager) |
Polyphemus |
Zetes |
Euphemos |
Hera |
Athena |
Ghost |
Boreas |
Rumor |
Dryope A water nymph |
Amycus A monstrous boxer |
Aphrodite |
Eros |
Fury |
Goddesses Of The Desert |
Pelias King of Iolcos |
Videos
Argonautika – Berkeley Rep Trailer
Publication
Argonautika is a play written by Mary Zimmerman and published by Samuel French (2013).
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Buy Play
Paperback
Samuel French · 2013 · 156 pp
Performance Rights
Restrictions: Major Markets Plus (US) / Standard Plus Add'l Postcodes (UK)
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