Sappho was an Archaic Greek poet from the island of Lesbos. and is known for her lyric poetry, written to be sung while accompanied by music. In ancient times, Sappho was widely regarded as one of the greatest lyric poets and was given names such as the “Tenth Muse” and “The Poetess”. Most of Sappho’s poetry is now lost, and what is extant has mostly survived in fragmentary form; only the Ode to Aphrodite is certainly complete. Beyond her poetry, she is well known as a symbol of love and desire between women, with the English words sapphic and lesbian deriving from her name and that of her home island, respectively.
Now she is the subject of a new musical play SAPPHO written and co-directed by Wendy Beckett that is about to open at London’s Southwark Playhouse Fusing ancient poetry with modern music, Greek chorus with contemporary dance, Sappho is a thrilling adult fairy tale of mythic proportions that may – or may not – have happened.
The poet Sappho creates a new world in her own words. She breaks the rules of her society and elevates her gender. Socrates calls her work beautiful, Plato describes her as the tenth Muse and many think her work rivals even that of Homer’s Iliad.
Sappho has fallen in love with a woman but her family and a civilisation on the precipice of democracy have other plans for her. The defiantly spirited Sappho comes under fire and soon she must decide whether to marry a man for the advancement of her society or remain true to her own words – and her authentic self.
Expect dancing, passion, poetry and plenty of queer joy as Pascal Productions’ international hit makes its debut on the London stage.
The production is co-directed by Adam Fitzgerald and the cast includes Georgie Fellows (Sappho), Emmanuel Akwafo (Narrator), Eleanor Kane (Adore), Fanos Xenofos (Pittacus), Jumoké Fashola (Cleis), Velile Tshabalala (Mrs Obstinatus / Aphrodite),
3 May – 25 May Southwark Playhouse Elephant 1 Dante Place, London SE11 4RX
Labels: 2024, lesbian, London, musical play, SAPPHO, Southwark Playhouse, Wendy Beckett
