Take one of the biggest stories in the world - the Trojan War - and perform it with just one actor. That's what Wildcard Theatre Company are doing with their latest production: Iliad, opening on Friday 1st February at the Limelight Theatre, before going on tour.
Of course, Wildcard's Artistic Director, Andrew Potter is not just any actor. He is used to creating vast, epic pieces of theatre with only a few people and some simple props. He has already tackled the native american indian legend of Hiawatha and the arthurian myth of Sir Gawain. In this production he harnesses the might of the Greek and Trojan armies to take his audience on an exhilarating roller-coaster ride through one of the greatest conflicts in mankind's history.
"Homer wrote the Iliad thousands of years ago" says Andrew. "and it fascinates me that the story still endures. It is a story about what it means to be human, what it means to be a hero and, most of all, what it means to be a man. I find that very interesting, because I am one." he adds, with a grin.
Iliad is based on two contemporary re-workings of Homer's original myth: Achilles by Elizabeth Cook and War Music by Christopher Logue. "In the beginning was the word," Andrew continues, "and if you take everything else away, the lights, the music and the paintings, the words still tell a powerful story. The language in these two pieces is so dynamic, you have no choice but to engage with it. It's an ancient story, expressed in very contemporary terms."
Iliad is set against four of the Phoenix series of oil paintings by Penny Warden - vibrant cruciform figures that mirror the physicality of the production. "Penny's paintings are amazing," says Andrew Potter. "The moment I saw them, I knew they would make a perfect background to the production."
Iliad opens at the Limelight Theatre on Friday 1st February at 8pm. Tickets are available from the box office on 01296 424332. Wildcard will also be performing Odyssey, the new companion-piece to Iliad, at the Limelight Theatre on Friday 5th April at 8pm.
For further information and sample images, visit our website: http://pages.britishlibrary.net/wtc/
For further information, please contact
Jo Salkilld
Administrative Director
on 01494 439375
or Email the company: