Mostellaria
A Roman comedy by TITUS MACClUS PLALTUS
For the amusement of Roman audiences, Plautus, whose plays are the earliest complete works of Latin literature we possess, adapted the Greek ' New Comedy ' of the third and fourth centuries BC. The Mostellaria is very possibly based on a play by Philemon, Phasma (The Ghost), written about 288 BC, If Shakespeare knew it he borrowed from it the names of the two servants in The Taming of the Shrew) - Tranio and Grumio
Titus Maccus Plautus - Titus the flat-foot clown (Plautus means splay-foot) - became famous for his comedies in about his fortieth year, and was rewarded with the privilege of Roman citizenship when he had to assume the formal prenomen, nomen, and cognomen of Titus Maccius Plautus translated from the Latin by KENNETH MCLEISH with music by STEPHEN DODGSON The scene is Rome in about 200 BC: then Athens, some years before, or since
The Author, Titus the Clown, who also plays Callidamates PETER WILLIAMS
Grumio and Tranio, servants
JOHN BENTLEY , LEONARD FENTON
Philolaches NIGEL LAMBERT Sphaerio PETER TUDDENHAM Philema JAN EDWARDS Scapha MARGOT BOYD Delphium madi HEDD Phaniscus
ALARIC COTTER Theuropides PETER PRATT A Porter PETER BALDWIN
A Money-lender from Asia
Minor JOHN WYSE
Simo JOHN GABRIEL
Pinacium WILFRID CARTER a Graeco-Roman Orchestra conducted by ALEXANDER PARIS bouzouki player ANDREA TOUMAZI The comedy arranged and produced by RAYMOND RAIKES