The Wine Dark Sea
By Neil Rathmell
Age range
11 – 13, 13 – 15, 16 +
Cast size
15 +
Approx. running time
90 mins +
Gender breakdown
Male: 13 + Dancers
Female: 5 + Chorus + Dancers
Female: 5 + Chorus + Dancers
Setting
A Greek Island.
Note
A two-act drama for a large cast.
First performance
Belmont Youth Theatre, Shrewsbury.
Synopsis
A chorus of Fishwives on a Greek island tell the story of Odysseus’s return to Ithaca and his vengeance on the suitors who have been pursuing his wife, Penelope, during his long absence. The play is based on the parts of Homer’s Odyssey, which tell this story, leaving out the adventures of Odysseus on his journey back from Troy. The female chorus offers a feminine point of view on what is essentially a male story.