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@mirroredmetamorphosisfringe
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£ 2,163
the Edinburgh Fringe Festival logo written by Megan Lee

Devised and performed 
by an all-female company in English and Ancient Latin, the play repurposes Ovid’s Heroides to offer a contemporary reflection 
on the timeless narrative 
of Antony and Cleopatra.

Exploring themes of lust, desire and dignity, the play seeks to amplify the voices of objectified female characters within the tragic arc using original music, song and poetry. A rare opportunity to hear Ovid’s verse in its original language, the play can be seen as a modern Renaissance piece.

Classics for All was founded in 2010 to reverse the decline in the teaching of classics in state schools. Our aim is to raise the aspirations and build the cultural capital of young people from all backgrounds by teaching them about the ancient world.

Over the last 10 years, interest in classical subjects has grown rapidly. We have now worked with over 144,000 pupils aged 7-18 in over 1,100 schools introducing them to all things classical, from Latin to Homeric epic.

I’ve selected this charity because my play is related to the Classics, and wanted to take the opportunity to share my love and passion for the subject with less fortunate students.

Reviews

  • Love is the theme, and never mind that Cleopatra is the Queen of Egypt, she’s still a woman and love will do her down. Mirrored Metamorphosis takes a slightly different approach.

    Rosemary Kaye, The Edinburgh Reporter

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  • Perhaps the only show at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival to use Latin dialogue, Mirrored Metamorphosis by Megan Lee is based on the story of Anthony and Cleopatra band and delivered in the style of Ovid's series of poems called the Heroides.

    Geoffrey Scott, Classics Network

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  • I was surprised at the sophistication of the play written by a sixteen year old. The script and staging were reverting and the portrayal by the actors were deeply moving. I especially enjoyed the use of Latin and rhyme in English - making it accessible to audiences that do not have prior Latin knowledge. I cried throughout - a must see at the fringe this year!

    Peggy

  • A hugely talented cast, and it was worth going just to hear classical Latin pronounced correctly!

    Neil Hudson

  • The Mirror Metamorphosis was intriguing, enjoyable play exploring women’s themes in history from an empowering perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent performances by the cast. The dialogue allows for audience to easily follow the story, impressive to see young women authors, scorewriter with phenomenal family support!! The cast mastered delivery in Latin for the three main monologues which was a unique intriguing experience. I listened riveted on the performance rather than read the interpretation (interpretation on screen hard for older color blind person to read anyway).

    Jennifer

  • The cast’s dedication was evident and their passion was haunting. Not only that, the gorgeous music written originally was deeply moving and evocative. Every phrase and rhyme thought through, every step meticulously planned and timed, it was truly a special piece. Every painful scream brought tears to my already red eyes. Every actress embodied the character so perfectly that I was brought into a vicarious state. This play is one that you must not miss, for it is, to put it simply, a miraculous masterpiece.

    Max

  • Lust! Betrayal! Passion! And I loved hearing spoken Latin - the actors were able to pivot from English to Latin without hesitation. Whilst I appreciated the translations, just listening and watching covered so much meaning. This show isn’t very long but conveys some important messages about choices and changes in its 40 minutes. I thought the actors were compelling and confident and the intimate venue brought the story right up to the audience. Well worth seeing.

    Jill

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