Episode 1: The House Three Athenians (let us call them Bia, Alexis and Nina) live together in a tiny house on the outskirts of Kassel. They are here to work at Documenta, the exhibition that this small German city hosts every five years. This year the curators have divided the exhibition between Athens and Kassel […]
Moving past our time-based posts so far this year, we were going to write about names and roles today. We were specifically intent on contrasting Trump’s infantile name-calling of ex-FBI Director James Comey (“Showboat” “Nut job”, “Slime ball”), with the latter’s focus, in his new book A Higher Loyalty and his recent interviews, not on names, […]
Come on let me out or I’ll explode…I am Noman…of Ithaca, son of Runawayhorse… – Philocleon in Aristophanes’ Wasps Our three Athenians living in Kassel have just finished their daily performance for documenta 14 and they are feeling especially happy and content with their day’s work. Since returning from their act of defiance and resistance, […]
If any lover runs up to him to complain because he is furious at seeing the object of his passion derided on the stage, he takes no heed of such reproaches, for he is inspired only with honest motives and his Muse is no pander. – the Chorus of wasps in Aristophanes’ Wasps Far from […]
I think we’ll win ourselves a name among the Greeks as those who brought an end to warfare. – Lysistrata in Aristophanes’ Lysistrata Previously on Three Athenians in Kassel: After Alexis was kidnapped and nearly eaten and Nina was attacked and had her head shaved, our three Athenians went in search of answers. They visited […]
Your drunken trick has proved a source of blessing for us. – Glycera in Menander’s Perikeiromene The events of yesterday hung over our three Athenians like a cloud. After the cannibals kidnapping Alexis and now some animal-masked, Bob Dylan-quoting gang shaving Nina’s head, they were all very much on edge. They needed some advice and […]
This man of ours that was but now so blustering and warlike, he who won’t permit that women wear their hair full length, lies sprawled out weeping. – Sosias in Menander’s Perikeiromene After their close encounter with cannibals, life was getting back to normal for our three Athenians in Kassel. Alexis was still recovering from […]
Vrekekekex koax koax, vrekekekex koax koax! We, the children of the lakes and the bubbly springs, in harmony, let’s sing! Vrekekekex koax koax, vrekekekex koax koax. – Chorus of Frogs in Aristophanes’ Frogs Last time on Three Athenians in Kassel: Alexis has been kidnapped by a group of Neo-Viennese Actionists who want to sacrifice him […]
What I weigh out tragedy, like butcher’s meat? – Xanthias in Aristophanes’ Frogs It started like any other night for our three Athenians in Kassel, but it would end in tragedy. Sitting in their cozy house, Nina and the documenta 14 official were doing some ’embodying’ research after finishing off their report, while Bia with […]
Oh happy, happy, happy me, I understand arseophony! Anyone who knows the ins and outs of a gnat’s arse is going to find it easy to get off a criminal charge. – Strepsiades in Aristophanes’ Clouds When our three Athenians in their tiny house are not working at their tedious day-jobs, spending their days-off sleeping […]