Stories from the Sands
11th June, 2-5:30pm
Grove Auditorium, Magdalen College, Oxford
In 2024, an astonishing discovery was made. An Egyptian archaeological team, excavating an ancient necropolis, uncovered a papyrus containing nearly 100 lines from lost plays by the Greek playwright Euripides. The find gives us insight into two plays very different in mood but connected by the death of children. The first tells a typical story of tragic vengeance, female scheming, and sexual jealousy. The second depicts a grieving father who refuses to accept his child’s death … and turns out to be right not to do so.
Oxford University have commissioned three artists who have spent the last few months learning about these discoveries and coming up with their own creative response to them. On 11th June, they will be giving us a glimpse into their work and the process behind it.
Join us for an afternoon in Oxford to:
- Play a new interactive game exploring the connections across centuries. What choices will you make, and how will they change the stories we tell about the past?
- Watch a performance which blends rites and rituals from the ancient world, the drama of Euripides, the yearning for immortality of human beings everywhere and a dash of magic and mysticism from online marketplaces.
- See a newly created embroidery, and hear about how it was made with the help of a contemporary chorus of those who care for the dead
And of course to learn more about the lost plays themselves, what we know about them and what we are still learning.
The event is free to attend, but it’s essential to book your place via this link.
Note: this is not a Classical Association event – please contact the organisers directly with any enquiries.