Stephen Fry Debuts MYTHOS: A TRILOGY – GODS. HEROES. MEN. at Shaw Festival

Actor, comedian, writer and storyteller Stephen Fry takes to the Festival Theatre stage with Mythos: A Trilogy - Gods. Heroes. Men. During his limited engagement at the Shaw Festival, Stephen will perform each of his three shows 13 times - giving audiences 39 chances to catch this world premiere event. Helmed by the Shaw Festival's Artistic Director Tim Carroll, Mythos is on stage May 24 to July 15.

Mythos - Greek for "story" - is loosely scripted, giving the audience a chance to hear Stephen's signature wit and humour in action. With his vast knowledge of Greek mythology, Stephen has too many stories even for three shows, so his audience will help choose which tales to tell - making Mythos a different show every time. While the threeMythos productions each stand alone, they also constitute a sequence so that those who attend all three will follow a wonderfully satisfying story.

Gods charts the creation of the Cosmos and the primordial deities; the splendidly bloody interbreeding and family feuding that led to the rise of the Olympians - Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Athena, Hermes and the rest; and the creation of Humankind.

Heroes chronicles the feats, quests, love affairs, betrayals and triumphs of the Great Heroes. Perseus, Theseus and Heracles (to name but three) strive against the odds - and sometimes the gods - to rid the world of the mythical beasts and monsters.

Men tells the tale of the founding of Troy, the abduction of Helen and the gathering of the last great generation of Greek heroes to rescue her - Agamemnon, Menelaus, Achilles and Odysseus. The Trojan War and Odysseus' epic journey bring to an end the age when the Olympians still moved among Humankind.

A semi-circle of screens designed by Doug Paraschuk surrounds an ordinary-looking wingback chair (which may not be so ordinary), setting the scene for Mythos. Dynamically designed projections by Nick Bottomley support the storytelling by featuring classic images with a humorous twist. The atmosphere is completed by Kevin Lamotte's lighting design, along with original and found music by Paul Sportelli.

Mythos is on stage at the Festival Theatre (10 Queen's Parade, Niagara-on-the-Lake) from May 24 to July 15 (Media Premieres June 7-9). This Shaw Festival production is proudly sponsored by Tim and Frances Price and Corinne and Victor Rice.

Cast: (in alphabetical order)

Stephen Fry
as himself

Creative & Production:

Tim Carroll
Doug Paraschuk
Kevin Lamotte
Nick Bottomley
Paul Sportelli
Alison Peddie
Théa PelDirector
Set Designer
Lighting Designer
Projection Designer
Composer
Production Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager

The Shaw Festival's 2018 season is on stage April 4 with a playbill that features The Magician's Nephew, Grand Hotel,Mythos: A Trilogy - Gods. Heroes. Men., The Hound of the Baskervilles, Stage Kiss, Of Marriage and Men: A Comedy Double-Bill, O'Flaherty V.C., Oh What a Lovely War, The Orchard (After Chekhov), The Baroness and the Pig, Henry V, Secret Theatre and A Christmas Carol (on stage November 14 - December 23).

Direct bus service from Toronto to Niagara-on-the-Lake on the Shaw Express begins April 4. Patrons can choose to come for a day or stay for the weekend with a round trip costing $25. New this season: the Shaw Express will stay for two performances on some Saturdays - departing Toronto at 10 a.m. and leaving The Shaw at 11 p.m. Schedule is subject to change. Please confirm dates and times with the Shaw Festival Box Office. A ticket to a 2018 Shaw Festival performance is required to access this service.

To purchase tickets for the 2018 Festival season and Shaw Express, please contact the Shaw Festival Box Office at 1-800-511-SHAW and online at www.shawfest.com.

Photo by David Cooper

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