Classics on the Italian Stage: Old Habits and ‘New Deals’

Abstract: In Europe, Italy competes with modern Greece over ownership of the classical past. Today, ancient dramas (both tragedy and comedy) are enjoyed by increasingly large and diverse audiences, in theatres and in situ on archaeological sites, in schools and universities, in public, open-air, non-theatrical spaces such as country villas, industrial locations, and even in cemeteries. The reperformance of classical drama is but one element of a wider phenomenon that places Classics at the heart of Italian national identity formation. Many Italian theatre practitioners feel a special affinity for the ancient monuments, and believe they owe a debt to ancient Greek and Roman authors. But as the case-studies in this chapter demonstrate, some Italian creatives have also created freer and less reverent adaptations. In the present work, I offer an analysis of important recent examples