So, you want to live in infamy for the
next 3,000 years, just like the great
Sophocles or Aeschylus? The ancient
Greeks loved watching plays and
would compete in the Festival of
Dionysus to entertain and move
audiences, whilst critiquing kings and
tyrants. Thousands of people gathered
in Greek amphitheatres, which were
semi-circular so that the people in the
back row could hear the voices on
stage (no electricity… so no
microphones!). Famous playwrights
like Euripides and Sophocles
performed ancient Greek myths and
stories of heroes fighting injustice or
defeating an evil prophecy… you’ve
heard of Odysseus, right? They were
the rock stars of 450 BCE.
If you fancy creating your own epic story
with tragic outcomes, comedic relief and
shocking twists, follow our step-by-step
guide to writing your own Greek
tragedy. You’ll be chilling in Elysium with
millions of fans in no time.
STEP 1: Pick a social
issue you want to
explore in your play
Greek plays had a strong moral message.
They tried to teach the audience
something. Whether it’s the price of milk
or the terrifying risks of climate change
– pick an issue you’re passionate
about. Nothing says award-winning
playwright better than a play written
from the heart.
STEP 2: Create some
characters
Every great story has a hero, a villain and
somebody who needs rescuing. Why not
challenge your audience’s expectations
and cast a female as your warrior? Or
cast a brave hero who has a strong
sense of justice and is deeply forgiving
of his enemies.
STEP 3: Plan your
story STEP 4: Develop your
chorus
Is there going to be a war? Will the hero
have an unrequited love, or is one of
your characters going to chop up their
enemy and bake them into a pie? Yes,
the Greeks LOVED a bit of gore! There
are lots of ways to plan your story arcs
– try using a storyboard template (you
can find these online) or mind-mapping
the action. You could even write a list of
plot points; whatever the method, find
one that suits your inner writer and go
crazy! General rule – no more than three
lead characters should be on stage at
any one time – except for the chorus. The chorus is central to moving the
story forward. They are the citizens:
people living in the city where the story
takes place. They speak in unison,
narrating the story, commenting on the
action and giving their opinion about
their leaders to represent ordinary
people. The audiences loved the chorus
because they could sympathise with it.
(Note – remember their costumes
should look similar, to make them look
like working people in society.)