As part of the Ashmolean’s current exhibition, 'Heracles to Alexander the Great', Temple Theatre Company let us walk in the company of legends as they performedUnmythable among the statues in the Ashmolean's Atrium.
It was a spectacular, though not entirely practical, setting (it was quite difficult to see sometimes) as the three actors, after welcoming us with olives (though sadly no plate smashing), invited us to enlist in the crew of the Argonauts. So we joined Jason and his crew as we – though mainly just Jason, as heroes don’t really share their glory with their friends – went on a quest for the golden fleece.
On the way, after successfully getting through the Symplegades by chanting the famous Greek phrase “Go, dove, go” as the bird (man) flew through the rocks (ran up the Ashmolean stairs), we learned a bit about the quests of Heracles, and Orpheus, about the creation of the world, and my particular favourite, the story of Persephone being taken to the underworld and the creation of the seasons. Demeter and Persephone were played by one actor, and Hades and Zeus by another, with very funny results.
It was no mean feat to represent such a number of characters with no props or costumes, and I thought all three actors were thoroughly entertaining in their light-hearted treatment of the myths. My friend found it a bit laboured and over the top, but that’s grumpy people for you.
The exhibition itself displays recent discoveries from royal burial tombs and the palace at Aegae, the ancient capital of Macedon, and some of the items are stunning. There is a crown made of gold oak leaves and acorns that looks like it would crumble in the breeze, it is so intricate and delicate. That this is so beautiful and is still in one piece is just remarkable.
Maybe Unmythable wasn’t as remarkable as a 2,500 year old crown. But it was good fun, I promyth. And the exhibition is certainly worth a visit, make no mythtake. Exzeus me, but no I will not Apollo-gise for the puns.
