Circe turns Odysseus's men into pigs, the god Hermes gives him a herb to make him immune. Poet Inua Ellams turns this into a modern story of enchantment, desire and disenchantment.
Inua Ellam, who was born in Nigeria, begins the second week of responses by 10 contemporary poets, all refugees, exiles, migrants or their offspring, to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔr's Odyssey, which is full of parallels with the world today. Ellams's poem is inspired by the episode where the temptress, the witch Circe, turns Odysseus' men into pigs. As Odysseus goes to rescue his men, he's advised by the god Hermes that he should eat a certain herb to protect himself. In Ellam's update, all street rhythms and rhymes, Odysseus's ship is a broken-down bus, Circe's palace a warehouse club and Hermes is as much a dealer as a god.
With Inua Ellams himself, Maeve Bluebell Wells as Circe and Tom Forrister, Hermes.
Producer: Julian May.
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Writer | Inua Ellams |
| Performer | Inua Ellams |
| Circe | Maeve Bluebell Wells |
| Hermes | Tom Forrister |
| Producer | Julian May |
Broadcasts
- Mon 24 Apr 2017 09:45Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 FM
- Tue 25 Apr 2017 00:30Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4