The Penelopiad at Chicago's Poetry Foundation

Since I took a class in high school on the subjects, Greek and Roman mythology have been an interest of mine.  Today, I had the pleasure of seeing a performance of Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad.  The cast of 14 skillfully utilized the Poetry Foundation’s performance space to tell the story of The Odyssey from Odysseus’s wife Penelope’s point of view.  Costumes were beautiful but simple, as were the props.  The performance was excellent–makes me want to read Edith Hamilton’s Mythology (a great intro to mythology) again and pick up copies of Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey!

Erica Barnes directs this adaptation of The Penelopiad, with original music by Joshua Dumas.  The Poetry Foundation, located at 61 West Superior Street in Chicago, will host additional performances on Monday, February 23, and Tuesday, February 24, both at 7 p.m.  Admission is free.  Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early.

If you're already a fan of mythology, this performance will be a real treat.  If you're not, you might just develop a new fascination!