Set in Peloponnesus wars of ,427 -404 BC , Thomas Otway's first play , written in 1675 , is a tragedy that deals with modern themes ;- war and power stuggle in the Middle East ,( Greece, Persia) , Military supremacy , honour , betrayal , age descrimination , and effects of illness on daily life , to name but a few.
The story is that of Acibiades , a famous , succesful General defecting to the Spartans during the wars . He charmes the King of Sparta and his wife into not only letting him stay , but be put in charge of a large military campaign , currently led and run for many years by Tissaphernes , ( played by Andrew Lawden).
Furious at being demoted and shamed in this way , Tissaphernes plots his revenge on Alcibiades , taking advantage of the disovery of an affair between him and the Queen of Sparta , to bring about his downfall . However , the plot fails and all characters are murdered or imprisoned for their actions,
Memories of Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida", "Timon of "Athens" , and "Othello" can all be seen in a play which expores an old order being changed by new , given Otway was only 24 when writing the play . An entertaining ,thought-provoking play , with sinister intrigue and deception at its heart.
