THE LONDON BRIDGE CITY SUMMER FESTIVAL 2017 bring open air theatre to the capital by way of Ancient Greece, with the staging of The Odyssey at The Scoop. Production company Gods and Monsters stage Homer’s epic for a month at this sunken ampitheatre along the River Thames, the proximity to the river a perfect setting for the adventures of Odysseus as he sets sail from Troy and encounters sea monsters, sirens and war-like ancient Greek gods.
The show starts at 6pm but make sure you bring a packed lunch. At three hours long this production is epic in length and content. It is broken up into three one hour acts: Part One, A Great Big Ancient Greek Adventure (suitable for all the family); Part Two, The Power of Love (Odysseus’ love for his wife Penelope is tested by temptations at sea); Part Three, The Homecoming (The hero is reunited with his family).
Those three hours will fly by once you’re engaged in this theatrical mix of comedy, music and storytelling, the classical text providing the thrills and highs that modern day monster and adventure movies have lost in technology. Yes, Gods and Monsters are reclaiming the three-act story structure of the heroic journey and the result is three hours of family fun.
All the performances are free and on Thursdays there’s a Q&A with writer/director Phil Willmott and members of the cast. The final performance is on September 3rd.
