THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR
Cast (speakers in bold)
Chorus – mothers and fathers of Athens
Theseus
Aegeus, King of Athens
Minos, King of Crete
Ariadne, daughter of Minos
Minotaur
Aphrodite
Zeus
Youths & maidens (2 boys & 2 girls)
Stagehand (for carrying the ship)
Chorus:
We mums and dads of Athens old
Invite you to our play
Of Theseus the hero and
The monster he did slay
He is the son of Aegeus,
Our king, although some say,
Poseidon is his father true
We love him either way
Aegeus steps forward, bows. Theseus does same Theseus poses, swishes sword a bit, looks heroic
He spent his youth away from home
Defeating wicked men,
Became a warrior brave and strong -
We want him back again
Minos enters and bows
In Athens long ago the son
Of Minos, King of Crete
Was murdered, which made Minos mad
And his revenge was sweet
Now each nine years our youths we send
Our seven sons and daughters
To Knossos and its labyrinth,
And this is where they’re slaughtered
The Minotaur enters and acts scary, brandishing horns
Youths are sent into the labyrinth & killed & eaten
All leave stage, youths back to where started
A savage beast, the Minotaur
Is man, with bull for head
He gores and tears apart our kids
And eats them when they’re dead
Nine years ago it happened, and
Again the time has passed
We weep to lose our children but –
Here’s Theseus at last!
Theseus and Aegeus enter
Theseus: This terrible tribute must stop, father. Let me take the place of one of these doomed children, and I promise I shall destroy the Minotaur and end the sacrifices forever.
Aegeus: No, my son, you will only be killed like all the
rest.
Theseus: I am no weakling, father. I can handle that freak. You must let me go.
Aegeus gives Theseus a white sheet
Aegeus: My son, if you will not listen to me, then take this white sail with you. Each time the youths have gone to Crete the ship has borne a black sail, to show our grief. But if you are successful, raise the white sail on your return.
Theseus: I will, father.
Theseus slays ox then prays to Aphrodite
Theseus: Hear me, Aphrodite, the most beautiful of the immortals. Take this ox as an offering, and help me on this quest.
Aphrodite hears Theseus’s prayer and nods
Exit all; Stagehand carries ship across stage
Chorus:
And so to Crete, with sail black,
They cross the sea to meet
King Minos and his daughter too,
Young Ariadne sweet
Now Aphrodite’s magic charms
This princess from above
She sees how cute our hero is
And madly falls in love
Minos and Ariadne enter left, Theseus and companions left; Aphrodite casts a spell over Ariadne and Ariadne swoons for Theseus.
Minos: Welcome, youths and maidens of Athens. Has it really been nine years? Well, you can imagine how hungry my son is. We’ll feed you well tonight, so your flesh tastes good for him. Ha ha! Off to your cells.
All leave stage; Ariadne and Theseus sneak back on
Ariadne: Theseus my love, if I help you to defeat the Minotaur, will you take me back to Athens as your wife?’
Theseus: I will.
Ariadne: Then take this magic ball of wool. Tie one end to the doorway of the labyrinth, and let it fall behind you as you go through the passages. When you kill the Minotaur you can find your way back by winding the wool back onto the ball.
Ariadne gives Theseus the ball of wool
Chorus:
Our children shake with fear and doubt
Will they get home alive?
But Theseus does what he’s been told
And hopes he will survive
Theseus ties the wool onto a table or chair leg.
He winds around chairs.
He goes down twisting tunnels and
Dead ends as dark as death
Then hears a sound which stops his heart –
A rough and heavy breath
Theseus reaches centre of the stage; Minotaur is there asleep
The monster lies there, fast asleep
The hero draws his blade
The beast awakes, he roars and leaps,
And Theseus is dismayed
They fight; Theseus gives death blow
The hero dodges stabbing horns
He swings his sword to cut
At last he sinks the flashing bronze
Into the monster’s gut
The creature’s belly gushes blood
He groans and dies in pain
Now Theseus rolling back the wool
Escapes the maze again
Theseus wipes sword and rolls back the ball of wool as he makes his way out.
Ariadne: You made it! Is he dead?
Theseus: Yes.
Ariadne: Are you hurt?
Theseus: No.
Ariadne: My hero! How did you do it?
Theseus: Piece of cake. Come on, it’s time to skedaddle.
They fetch the youths. All leave stage; ship carried across stage
Chorus:
Before the dawn the youths escape
Back on the ship they creep
They sail north and landing on
The beach of Naxos, sleep
Everyone comes back on and lies on the floor, sleeping
Now Theseus has had enough
Of Ariadne fair
He wakes the youths, they sneak away
And sail without a care
At dawn she wakes and sees they’ve gone
Her love has been betrayed
Her heartbreak turns to rage, and so
To Zeus she prays for aid
Theseus wakes everyone up and they leave without Ariadne; Ariadne wakes up and is sad, then angry
Ariadne: Oh Zeus, mightiest of all gods, I beg you to punish Theseus, who broke his promise to me, and who slew your son, the Minotaur.
Aegeus, standing on a table, sees the ship approach, Zeus hears and nods. Exit Ariadne.
Chorus:
As Theseus’ ship approaches home
The god makes him forget
To change the sail from black to white
So Aegeus won’t fret
Theseus enters and Zeus casts a spell on him.
Theseus: I’m sure there was something I was supposed to do. Ah well, it probably doesn’t matter.
Chorus:
Atop a hill the king now sees
The ship and gets a shock
He thinks his son is dead and throws
Himself onto the rocks
Aegeus: No – he is killed. I cannot bear it.
Aegeus, standing on a chair, sees the ship and throws himself to the floor. Theseus kneels sadly over his father’s body.
Theseus: My father – what have I done?
Chorus:
So Theseus returns and weeps
To find his father dead
He left sweet Ariadne but
Perhaps they should have wed
Our play is done, and so we hope
You liked our tale of old
About the dreadful Minotaur
And Theseus the bold.
Everyone comes on and bows
Pronunciations:
Aegeus – EE- jee-us
Theseus – THEE-see-us
Ariadne – Ah-ree-AD-nee
Minos – MY-noss
Minotaur – MY-nuh-taur
Knossos – K-NOSS-oss
Labyrinth – LAB-ee-rinth