SAPPHO — UK PRODUCTION
Georgie Fellows & Aaron Bladen
Emmanuel Akwafo, Georgie Fellows, Andrew Franklin, Kostas Tekkis, Aidan Banyard, Eleanor Kane, Roann Hassani McCloskey & Aaron Bladen
SAPPHO
A new comic play about the greatest of ancient Greek poets, Sappho. Translated into Greek by Daphne Economou & into French by Stéphane Laporte. SAPPHO premiered throughout Greece, in Greek, during the summer months of August & September 2022 before being performed in English for the first time in May 2024 at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London.
SAPPHO is a play inspired by the writings of Sappho, the Greek lyric poet who flourished in the 6th century BC on the isle of Lesbos. Integrating the original poetry and a traditional chorus with modern music and contemporary dance, SAPPHO is an adult fairy tale, a theatrical event that takes the audience on a thrilling, romantic journey. Admired since antiquity for the beauty of her writing style, Sappho was known as the Poetess, just as Homer was called the Poet. The play tells the story of a time early in her life that may or may not have happened.
The UK production featured Georgie Fellows as Sappho & Emmanuel Akwafo as the Narrator, Eleanor Kane, Jumoké Fashola, Fanos Xenofos, Velile Tshabalala, Aidan Banyard, Aaron Bladen, Lucy Mackay, Kostas Tekkis, Andrew Franklin & Roann Hassani McCloskey.
CAST 6 women • 6 men
SETTING 6th century BC • Lesbos
Photos © 2024 Mark Senior
“Beckett’s written a glorious romp, rather than solemn play… Here Beckett celebrates queer love so much and so poignantly despite all the fun”
“Wendy Beckett has crafted a clever, engaging and relatable play marrying the forms of Greek and modern theatre together to beautiful effect. She has created a modern Greek comedy that forces the audience to question the constraints we have allowed our society to put on love, marriage, gender, sexual freedom, queerness and politics.”
Kostas Tekkis, Georgie Fellows, Aaron Bladen, Emmanuel Akwafo, Lucy Mackay & Andrew Franklin
Aidan Banyard, Velile Tshabalala, Andrew Franklin & Lucy Mackay
“Flamboyant narrator and rising star Emmanuel Akwafo brings a modern touch to the
ancient tale as he prances about the stage and offers sassy commentary. His jokes bring Sappho’s troubles into the present day where they couldn’t ring more true.”
Fanos Xenofos & Jumoké Fashola
“SAPPHO presents a captivating blend of ancient history and contemporary queer culture, drawing audiences into the world of the iconic poet from Lesbos.
…the production’s playful
storytelling sheds light on the significance of Sappho’s writings as the earliest known documentation of queer identity.”
Emmanuel Akwafo
Velile Tshabalala
“There were plenty of moments where the audience was seen snapping their fingers in a queer sign of agreement which should be coined “Snaps For Sappho”.”
Emmanuel Akwafo, Georgie Fellows, Lucy Mackay & Roann Hassani McCloskey
Georgie Fellows, Aaron Bladen, Aidan Banyard, Fanos Xenofos, Andrew Franklin, Lucy Mackay, Jumoké Fashola, Roann Hassani McCloskey, Kostas Tekkis & Emmanuel Akwafo