LOTOPHAGI THEATRE COMPANY
Why ‘Lotophagi’?
Lotophagi (Latin, from Ancient Greek Λωτοφάγος) are the Lotus Eaters of Greek mythology. In the Odyssey, those who ate the lotus fruits or flowers would forget their previous concerns, their homes, and their friends and families. ‘Lotus Eaters’ can also be used to describe those who choose to pursue pleasure as opposed to focussing on everyday issues.
We chose the name Lotophagi as we believe that theatre is a space in which both audience and performers can lose themselves in the material, providing a temporary release from the outside world.
Our Mission
Here at LTC, we are committed to widening access to the works of Ancient Greek theatre. In the past decade there has been a sure of interest in Ancient Greek mythology, but there is still a widespread belief that original texts and their translations are inaccessible. Luckily, in recent years, there has been a push to abandon this idea of exclusivity — we want to make a difference in this movement.
Who Are We?
Lotophagi Theatre Company is a new company, currently based in the UK, with a focus on Ancient Greek Theatre. Founded by individuals with experience in the field of Classics and Theatre alike, our goal is not only to provide entertainment, but also education. Our mission statement provides a more detailed explanation of our aims as a theatre company.
More on Our Mission…
Theatre from any time period, area, or authorship should not be exclusive. It is our strong belief that the performing arts should be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. With staff who have dedicated their studies to Ancient Greek texts, we are tackling this in the area we know best!
Our founders have previously worked alongside charities also committed to widening access to Classical education, as well as opening up their own production of Oedipus Tyrannus to local school groups.
Lotophagi Theatre Company hopes to bring many productions to the stage in the near future. In order to keep these productions in line with our mission statement, we will be working on our own adaptations of ancient scripts that are not only accessible in language, but also reflect traditional elements of their ancient stagings or key themes that have remained inportant from Ancient Greece through to modern day.
Our first production, Pentheus, will be debuting this summer (14th-17th August), at The Etcetera Theatre, Camden. Keep your eyes out for tickets coming soon!
Our Team
Ella Harpaz-Joralemon
Artistic Director
Ella Harpaz-Joralemon has a Bachelor’s degree in Classics, and an MPhil in Film and Screen Studies, both from the University of Cambridge. She began her career in the performing arts at university, with involvement in historic groups such as the CUADC, The Marlowe Society, and more! More recently, she has taken her work outside of university and into the professional sphere.
Ella has worked on multiple productions of Ancient Greek theatre. These include directing a run of Oedipus Tyrannus, a musical adaptation of Antigone, and she performed in the Cambridge Greek Play 2022. She is the creator of LTC’s debut production, Pentheus, an adaptation of Euripides’ Bacchae.
Jonathan Wilson
Script Supervisor
Jonathan Wilson has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classics, both from the University of Cambridge. He is currently planning to pursue a PhD, also in Classics, with a specialisation in Ancient Greek Theatre.
Jonathan has previously been an ambassador for the Lytham St Annes Classical Association, and has run a workshop on Greek tragedy, alongside charity Classics for All. He has also been involved in theatrical productions at the University of Cambridge, most recently a production of Oedipus Tyrannus with the CUADC.