Greek Drama

A scholar and theater director examines the history and characteristics of the ancient tragedy and comedy of Athens. A caveat: This reviewer's love of the subject may have resulted in bias. Still, Professor Meineck isn't perfect. His frequent lip-smacking annoys; his extended readings from the plays are lackluster. On the other hand, he communicates his enthusiasm for, as well as his thorough knowledge of, his subject. Admirably, he considers the plays as living theater meant for performance, not, as many classicists do, merely as literary texts. His manner is warm and informal, his interpretations credible, and his language always clear. Implicitly, he impresses upon the listener the importance of these marvelous plays to the development of the best in our modern culture. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine