Classical drama on the modern stage as a cultural and political phenomenon is scholarly trailed since the 1950s and 60s and intensified in the last third of the twentieth century. The evidence is being extensively documented, pioneered by Walton (1987) and McDonald (1992) and subsequently developed by collaborative research projects which include published databases. It is clear from the work of these projects that performance of classical drama is a major feature in all types of theatre - avant-garde and experimental, student, international and fringe, epic and classical, commercial, popular and canonical. This means that it is closely intertwined with the politics of locale, environment and geography as well as of language, translation and culture. Each of the essays has a specialised contribution to make. However, the total impact of the whole section will be even greater than the sum of the parts because the authors not only intersect in their discussions of common concerns in modern performance of ancient drama but also provide case studies that will add to the knowledge base and critical acumen of everyone working in the field.
About the Author: Pavlina eipova (Institute of Philosophy - Institute for Classical Studies, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic) joined the activities of the European Network of Research and Documentation of Performances of Ancient Drama: she is currently working on the development of the database of the Network, the Ancient Traditions in Czech Culture as a part of larger project Antique Legacy in Europe, and she focuses on research of late-antiquity and Byzantine dramatic forms in Asia Minor. She translated several works of Greek authors into Czech: Thomas' Pseudo-Gospel, Jakovos Kampanelis' trilogy The Supper, Choricius of Gaza's Apologia Mimorum, minor translations of Lykophron's Alexandra published in the Czech translation of The Invention of Solitude by Paul Auster, and old Greek historians published in the book Origins of Intelligent Services by Francis Dvornik. Alena Sarkissian graduated from the Masaryk University in Brno, the Department of Theatre Science and the Institute of Classical Studies. As a researcher of the Institute for Classical Studies, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, she focuses on theatrical culture of Late Antiquity, mainly in Eastern Rome. She is a member of the Czech team of Network of Research and Documentation of Ancient Greek Drama and she also cooperates with theatres on productions of Ancient Drama. From her publications and translations: Na okraj vydani Tertullianova pojednani O hrach (Notes on a Czech Edition of Tertullian's Treatise De Spectaculis); In Divadelni revue 1/2005, p. 70; Chvala pantomimu dvakrat jinak. Lukianos - Libanios (Two Different Eulogies of Pantomime. Lucianus - Libanius.) In Divadelni revue 4/2005, pp. 22-26; Skenikoi, mimoi and other defectors: Theatre in Testimonies of Early Christian Legal Decrees of Eastern Rome. In Eirene 2007 (in print). She translated Sophocles' Electra for a production by Valmet Theatre Company at Divadlo V Celetne, Prague (2005), and Ludus Danielis, (first translation into Czech, first staging in the Czech Republic) for Cara Theatre, Brno (2004). Currently, she is preparing Czech translation of Libanius' Oration LXIV (On Dancers) and two sermons by John Chrysostom against theatre.