For English-speaking visitors, an amusing summer diversion is a
performance of the Miracle Players..
The New York Times
The Miracle Players have been staging hysterical drama every summer for
12 years
The American Mag.
Forget the Complete Works of Shakespeare in 90 minutes. The capital's
itinerant English theatre troupe, the Miracle Players, go one better in
reducing over one thousand years of ancient history to a 40-minute caper.
The rise and fall of the Roman Empire, from suckling she-wolves to Nero's
fiddling follies, are irreverently rendered each Friday evening in the
atmospheric environs of the Forum itself. Performances are free and al
fresco. In this case, miracle by name, miracle by nature.
Time Out
...The Miracle Players taking a humorous, nay, ingeniously talented, as well
as instructive look at the history of a city that claims to be eternal and
that has shaped and effected the lives of people the world over... The
priceless location [of the performance] that theatres the world over would
die for is in front of the Mamertine Prison.
Roma C'è
...Texts are based on classical works... but the humorous historical
adaptations are a far cry from what you remember from some dreary Latin
lessons. Furthermore the performance takes place with a striking view over
the Roman Forum where many of the actual events took place.
Trova Roma - The Best in Rome
...This group of brilliant actors promote
classical culture in historical locations... The actors themselves have
written the script which is based on the works of Livy, Juvenal, Plutarch
and others in the Latin tradition.
Roma Turismo
Abbiamo visto la Bibbia in novanta minuti e Tutto Shakespeare minuto per
minuto. E ora tocca alla storia di Roma in quaranta minuti... Fantasia e
ironia per mettere in scena, e un pò anche alla berlina, Romolo e Remo,
l'assassino di Cesare, l'incendio di Nerone, i giochi del Colosseo e
l'ascesa del Cristianessimo.
La Repubblica
...La commedia si basa sui testi Giovenale, Plutarco, Livio, Cicerone ed
altri scrittori antichi al fine di accostare scritti classici e
riadattamenti ironici che assicurano al pubblico grande risate.
Il Messaggero
...Sullo sfondo del tramonto sui Fori, ... questo
gruppo di attori brillanti eseguirà delle rappresentazioni teatrali in
lingua inglese, raccontando la storia di Roma dalla sua nascita mitologica
alla caduta dell'Impero. Per gli spettatori un duplice fine: imparare la
storia di Roma e l'inglese divertendosi.
Il Tempo
...questo
spettacolo offre un modo diverso e irreverente di concludere l'esplorazione
di una delle zone archeologiche più visitate al mondo... [I Miracle Players]
offriranno al pubblico, romano e non, una serata di divertimento assicurato.
Estate Romana 2001
Nato nel '99 quello dei Miracle è un gruppo di
attori professionisti provenienti da vari paesi anglofani e residenti a
Roma, diventato famoso per le commedie che produce impegnate ma divertenti.
Il Messaggero
What the Plebs think...
First, my family and I really enjoyed the show, and that's saying something
when your children are teenagers! (you'll see...)
I noticed that in polling the audience beforehand, most people had heard
about the show through word-of-mouth or were serial attenders; these are the
kind of people who use "summer" as a verb. Nothing wrong with that, but we
are of the "once-in-a-lifetime, frequent-flyer-miles" ilk. For us, the
advertisements in those hotel magazines and posters are key. So while we may
represent a small part of your audience (at least at that first show), I
hope you will continue to advertise as your budget allows.
Hamilton B.
Loved the show. Thank you for the simplicity and fun. I loved it last year
as well. Good luck for the future.
Margaret C.
My name is Hillary C., and I saw your performance with a group of
Classical Archaeology Masters and PhD students studying at the American
Academy in Rome. I would just like to thank you for putting on a wonderful
show. We all thoroughly enjoyed the performance and (since some of us teach
at our respective US graduate institutions) thought that you did a great job
of combining education and entertainment. After your show, I wished that I
had a DVD of your performance for my own class. We were particularly
impressed with your portrayal of the Julio-Claudians (even so far as to
brush aside poor Claudius) and of course the SPQR song. SPQR and "High Penta"
have been resounding in our pottery lab since we saw your performance.
Thus, I simply want to give you kudos to a highly entertaining and open
educational performance. We were greatly impressed and are saddened that we
all won't be together next year to see Part 2. Well done!
Hillary C.
I brought the son of a friend of mine who must have been about 5 when you
gave your first show. He's a musician now. Saw a few potential players among
the 'infants' in the first row too. Time presses on but your shows are
progressively more enjoyable each year and obviously a delight to your
audiences. Glad you are getting such good support.
Tummies were rumbling and my friends wanted to go off and eat and as you
were surrounded by admirers and enquirers I allowed myself to be dragged off
into the distance but wanted you all to know that I (and they) enjoyed it.
Have passed the word.
Allan C.
If I recall correctly I think this was my 8th year of attending your shows
and bringing my students or study tour participants. Thanks as always for
the enjoyable show; I look forward to seeing you at the Forum every summer
and can't wait to see what new stories you've come up with. This year, I was
joined by 16 high school Latin teachers and I fully expect that some of your
material will inspire their classrooms, especially the SPQR song. If lots of
high school students aren't singing that by next spring I'll be very
surprised.
Steve L. T.
I have to thank you. Your show was absolutely marvellous and great fun.
I am an archaeologist myself, studying Rome's imperial period, thus quite
familiar with the subject - and I enjoyed your show very, very much and
laughed a lot, together with my colleagues. Great! It was so funny and you
all are wonderful actors. I am very much looking forward to the next part!
K. I.
We came to see you on the 30th July, you may remember that night because
about half an hour in, the heavens opened and everyone had to run for cover,
except there wasn’t any and we got soaked to the skin! My daughter and I
ended up walking back to our hotel barefoot because we were sliding around
in our sandals so much. The chic, glamorous and prepared (they all had
umbrellas etc) ladies of Rome were I think quite scandalised by the sight of
two sopping wet English women wandering around barefoot and laughing.
The History of Rome – part I (at least the 2/3rds we saw) was brilliant and
thoroughly enjoyed by all my family, from my slightly philistine husband, my
14 year old and therefore interested in very little son, through my 16 year
old daughter, to myself with a lifelong interest in all things Roman. You
have brilliantly captured the attention and imagination of the full spectrum
there. Thank you all so much for giving our holiday a real highlight, made
even more of a travelers yarn through the timing of the biggest storm I have
seen in a long time. We only wished we could have seen the whole thing. Many
thanks again
Cate T.S.
