Greeks and Romans on the Latin American Stage: (Bloomsbury Studies in Classical Reception)

The first comprehensive treatment in English of the rich and varied afterlife of classical drama across Latin America, this volume explores the myriad ways in which ancient Greek and Roman texts have been adapted, invoked and re-worked in notable modern theatrical works across North and South America and the Caribbean, while also paying particular attention to the national and local context of each play. A comprehensive introduction provides a critical overview of the varying issues and complexities that arise when studying the afterlife of the European classics in the theatrical stages across this diverse and vast region. Fourteen chapters, divided into three general geographical sub-regions (Southern Cone, Brazil and the Caribbean and North America) present a strong connection to an ancient dramatic source text as well as comment upon important socio-political crises in the modern history of Latin America. The diversity and expertise of the voices in this volume translate into a multi-ranging approach to the topic that encompasses a variety of theoretical and interdisciplinary perspectives from classics, Latin American studies and theatre and performance studies.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements List of Illustrations Notes on Contributors 1. Staging the European Classical in ‘Latin’ America: An Introduction Rosa Andújar, King's College London, UK and Konstantinos Nikoloutsos, Saint Joseph’s University, USA I. Southern Cone 2. From Epic to Tragedy: Theatre and Politics in Juan Cruz Varela’s Dido Konstantinos P. Nikoloutsos, Saint Joseph’s University, USA 3. Leopoldo Marechal’s Antígona Vélez: Rewriting Greek Tragedy as a Foundation Myth in Peronist Argentina Brenda López Saiz, University of Chile, Chile 4. Juan Radrigán’s Medea Mapuche: Recreating Euripides’ Revenge Tragedy in an Indigenous Chilean Context Irmtrud König, University of Chile, Chile 5. Philoctetes and Medea in Contemporary Chilean Theatre Carolina Brncic, University of Chile, Chile II. Brazil 6. A God Slept Here by Guilherme Figueiredo: A Radical Modernist Amphitruo from Brazil Rodrigo Tadeu Gonçalves, University of Paraná, Brazil 7. Guilherme Figueiredo, Amphitryon, and the Widow of Ephesus: Linking Plautus and Petronius Tiziana Ragno, University of Foggia, Italy 8. Electra’s Turn to the Dark Side: Nelson Rodrigues’ Senhora dos Afogados Anastasia Bakogianni, Massey University, New Zealand 9. Becoming Antigone: The Classics as a Model of Resistance in Jorge Andrade’s Pedreira das Almas Seth A. Jeppesen, Brigham Young University, USA III. The Caribbean and North America 10. Distorting the Lysistrata Paradigm in Puerto Rico: Francisco Arriví’s Club de Solteros Rosa Andújar, King's College London, UK 11. Challenging the Canon in the Dominican Republic: Lisístrata odia la política by Franklin Domínguez Katherine Ford, East Carolina University, USA 12. Aeschylus and the Cuban Counter-Revolution Jacques Bromberg, University of Pittsburgh, USA 13. The Contest between Créolité and Classics in Patrick Chamoiseau’s Stage Plays Justine McConnell, King's College London, UK 14. Dismantling the Anthropological Machine: Feliks Moriso-Lewa’s Antigòn and Luis Alfaro’s Electricidad Tom Hawkins, Ohio State University, USA 15. Antigone Undead: Tragedy and Biopolitics in Perla de la Rosa’s Antígona: las voces que incendian el desierto Jesse Weiner, Hamilton College, USA Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Rosa Andújar is Deputy Director of Liberal Arts and Lecturer in Liberal Arts at King’s College London, UK. Konstantinos P. Nikoloutsos is Associate Professor of Classics at Saint Joseph’s University, USA.

Review :
Greeks and Romans on the Latin American Stage is a fine addition to Bloomsbury’s Studies in Classical Reception collection … It shows that Latin America is a region that Anglophone scholarship can no longer afford to overlook, and throws down an impressive gauntlet for scholars in the field to begin wrestling with the reception of antiquity on the Latin American stage. [A] volume that brings to light little-known adaptations from a variety of countries in the area addressing many of its present conflicts and recent past turmoil, is extremely valuable. Moreover, the fact that the book starts by highlighting the need to redefine certain terms taken for granted to examine reception in 'Latin America' and to acknowledge that this is not a homogeneous area but a highly diverse region that cannot be studied as a single unit, is certainly refreshing, reassuring, and a step in the right direction. The editors provide an introduction fizzing with helpful social and historical contextualization for a readership less familiar with the issues and complexities surrounding these diverse ‘Latin’ American receptions. The methodological and theoretical discussion is recommended for anyone interested in twentieth-century and postcolonial receptions.