The Odyssey: Episode 5 - The Underworld
a new play by Chris Bush with music by Jim Fortune
Booking and details
Olivier Theatre
National Theatre
South Bank
London SE1 9PX
No-one is lost for all time.
Held captive by the nymph Calypso, Odysseus has all but given up hope of ever returning home. Back on Ithaca, her son Telemachus plots a rescue, and high above on Mount Olympus, the Gods convene to set her one final trial – a voyage to Hades, land of the dead.
But high above on Mount Olympus, the Gods are convening to decide the fate of Odysseus, and if she should be allowed to return home to Ithaca.
The Gods agree to release Odysseus, but first she must pass through Hades, the land of the dead, to finally reach home.
To mark the fifth anniversary of Public Acts, The Odyssey is reimagined for today in an epic retelling with hundreds of community members across the country.
Performed 26 — 28 August 2023 in the Olivier Theatre.
About The Odyssey
This national, multi-venue production is told over five parts, with each episode of Odysseus’ journey created and performed by local artists and communities from four partner organisations: Restoke in Stoke-on-Trent, Cast in Doncaster, Trowbridge Town Hall in Trowbridge and The Fire Station (for Sunderland Culture in partnership with Sunderland Empire) in Sunderland.
The final part of Odysseus’ epic journey culminates in a full-scale musical production on the Olivier stage at the National Theatre, bringing together community performers from all four partner organisations, and members recruited through Public Acts founding community partners in London, founding theatre partner Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, and Trybe House Theatre in London.
Suitability
Please note this production includes some scenes with loud music and noises, as well as flashing and strobe lights. Audiences will be able to exit the auditorium to take a break as needed.
Reviews
★★★★★
‘a heart-soaring mass chorus on the theme of ‘home’’
Financial Times
★★★★
‘an epic musical production with community at its heart’
London Theatre
Video
Gallery
Production images
In rehearsal
More from The Odyssey
The Odyssey: Episode 1 - The Lotus Eaters
The Odyssey: Episode 2 - The Cyclops
The Odyssey: Episode 3 - The Four Winds
The Odyssey: Episode 4 - The Island of the Sun
Supporters
Theatre Nation Partnerships is generously supported by Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund and Garfield Weston Foundation.
Public Acts is supported by Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The CareTech Charitable Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Mosawi Foundation, The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust and Susan Miller and Byron Grote.
Cast
Amy Booth-Steel
For the National: The Odyssey: Episode Five − The Underworld, Dick Whittington, A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer, The Light Princess, One Man Two Guvnors and She Stoops to Conquer
Tarinn Callender
For the National: The Odyssey: Episode Five − The Underworld
Sharon Duncan-Brewster
For the National: The Odyssey: Episode Five − The Underworld, The Swan and There is a War.
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt
For the National: The Odyssey: Episode Five − The Underworld and Hex
Emma Prendergast
For the National: The Odyssey: Episode Five − The Underworld
Zubin Varla
For the National Theatre: A Tupperware of Ashes, The Odyssey: Underworld, Dara, War Horse, Attempts on Her Life, The Enchantment, The Life of Galileo and Cyrano de Bergerac
Production team
Chris Bush
Chris Bush is an award-winning playwright, lyricist and theatre-maker.
Jim Fortune
Jim Fortune is an award-winning singer, musician and composer.
Emily Lim
Emily Lim is Director of Public Acts and an associate of the National Theatre.
Dan Canham
Dan Canham is a director/choreographer and filmmaker based in Bristol.
Tarek Merchant
Tarek Merchant is a composer, musical director and performer, holding a Starred First Class Degree in Music from the University of York and a further First Class Degree in Actor-Musicianship from Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance
Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey
For the National: Death of England: Closing Time (co-designer), The Odyssey: Episode Five − The Underworld, Death of England: Delroy (co-designer), Death of England (co-designer) and If I Were Older.
Fly Davis
Fly Davis is an award-winning set and costume designer for the stage.
Joshua Pharo
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, The Odyssey: Episode Five – The Underworld and Jekyll & Hyde (on UK tour)
Paul Arditti
Paul Arditti is an associate at the National Theatre.
The Odyssey: Episode 5 Ticket prices
£20 and £40.
U18s half price on £20 tickets.
Accessible performances
All performances of The Odyssey: Episode 5 are audio-described, captioned and chilled.
Illustration by Ignasi Font