Harriet Allen had the most fabulous title for her rendition of the Odyssey, A long way Home(r), and I'd never managed to get through my book of the Idiad and the Odyssey so I didn't want to miss this one. I had once seen a theatrical rendition of Odysseus arriving home to Penelope at Belconnen but that was a long way back and I don't think it covered the full 10 years of his return. HA is a classics student and this served as a marked project, for the rendition from memory and the interpretation and commentary after, but she also enjoys standup commedy and treated it thus, with influence from UK/BBC Nancy Haynes who "stands up for the classics" online. This is perfectly relevant given the nature of these Ancient Greek works that were first shared from memory with the general public and only later were written, at the ones we haven't lost. I enjoyed the presentation but remember only snippets of the convoluted story of wife and suitors and husband and travels and indulgences and son and family issues. I liked the attempt to recreate the atmosphere of performance and the comparison with the Iliad as sitcom vs. grandiosity. I noted some quotes, "rosy-fingered dawn" and "only man to ever hear the Sirens and live to tell". And she had a great turnout. Amusingly I asked early and the table next to me was Classics Dept and others I spoke with had clear knowledge of the story. I even got a recommendation for a film based on the Odyssey (O brother where art thou, with George Cluny, on SBS On Demand for the next month) but I think there are many. And given I may never actually read it, this was a most valuable hour. Fascinating and fun. BTW, HA is also a clarinetist and composer.
Harriet Allen wrote and performed her retelling of Homer Odyssey at Smiths.
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