Coming this summer, the Iris Festival is a free, three-day festival celebrating the Classics and Greek drama! It will be held 17-19 June 2009 at the Scoop, City Hall, London, UK. Plays and performances will be presented by students from six inner London state-funded schools. The tentative schedule includes a double bill of Greek comedy by Aristophanes (the Birds and the Clouds), readings of classical poetry in translation and in Latin, and a Classical tragedy (possibly Euripides' Bacchae) performed by sixth form (equivalent to junior and senior level in the American high school system).
In addition, there will be activities (mosaic and mask making, storyboarding myths, etc.) for families to enjoy in the area alongside the venue.
To find out more, please visit the Iris Project to find out more about the different initiatives this wonderful organization sponsors in order to promote Classics for all students, regardless of background. The director of the Iris Project is Lorna Robinson, who has just published a new book, Cave Canem, a delightful compendium and commentary featuring Latin words and phrases.
