'Helen' - Actors of Dionysus

Aim

Keeping the classics alive! Critically-acclaimed Actors of Dionysus are revisiting our production of ‘Helen’ for a short tour in 2016.

Following a successful Arts Council funded R&D period in 2014, Actors of Dionysus are revisiting our production of ‘Helen’ for a short tour in 2016, with the intention of taking this unusual and exciting piece into a London venue in the autumn.

 ‘Helen’ is a contemporary take on the myth of Helen of Troy, with a strong physical/aerial dimension. It follows our eponymous heroine just after the fall of Troy – her husband has been murdered in a coup, and we find her in a room with only a shadowy figure for company – is he her lover, jailer, or executioner…?

‘Helen’ explores themes that are still prevalent in today’s society – the cult of ‘celebrity’, the effects of war on the families of the soldiers, and the fixation with using beauty and youth as a means of determining someone’s worth.

AOD are committed to keeping the classics alive, and have been touring productions nationally and internationally for over 20 years, to great critical acclaim –

“A passionate and intense piece of physical theatre, ‘Helen’ is thought-provoking, powerful, and makes you question so many of our current values.” - British Theatre Guide

“Let nothing stop you from seeing them” – The Times

“Direct and accessible” – The Guardian

We have recently finished a month-long tour of Aristophanes’ ‘Lysistrata’ around schools and theatres, which was fantastically well-received by both critics and audiences alike.

‘Helen’ will consolidate our work with contemporary adaptations of the ancient myths, taking us in a new direction to develop our productions and our audiences. It will also be the first time we have performed at Brighton Fringe – England’s largest arts festival, in order to reach audiences in our hometown, build our portfolio and reputation within our local community, and to expand our reach with our ongoing public engagement programme of workshops and talks.

The costs involved in mounting such a spectacular production are pretty high (the set is a 3m high scaffold frame with a ‘bed’ base, and drapes used for the aerial elements of the piece!). We have negotiated a good deal with our Brighton Fringe venue where they are giving us two performances free of any rental charge, but there are still a lot of additional costs.

We believe in paying our cast and creative team a fair wage, and these fees rack up quickly. We also need to cover the costs of rehearsal space, insurance, accommodation, van hire, and marketing.

We will also be visiting Malvern Theatres and Warwick School with this production, and both these venues have agreed to pay us a fixed fee to bring the show to them. Through a combination of these fees and private funding, we hope to be able to cover the costs of mounting this important production.

This project successfully funded on 9th May 2016