A preview of this production appeared in Memorial's student newspaper, The Muse A review is forthcoming in Didaskalia

As with previous Plautus productions, this performance was held outdoors at a busy intersection of a university campus so as to recreate part of the experience of the Roman ludi. There was no admission charge. Role-sharing, the use of masks, free improvisation and slapstick, and active interchange with the audience were all foregrounded.

	The haughtiness of the braggart soldier Pyrgopolynices (the miles gloriosus of the title) was emphasized by the toy armour and the extravagant blonde wig.
	The difficulites of adding Roman numerals was made clear through the boasts of Artotrogus the parasite (who wears the parasite mask originally built for Curculio).
	Feathers on the masks of Periplectomenus the old man gave motion to this mask in the wind.
	By casting the same actor as both the soldier and his slave Sceledrus, the balanced nature of the two deceptions was made clear. The same actor was duped both in acts two and four.
	By letting this actor also play Lurcio, the drunken slave, some metatheatrical humour was added as as excuses are made concerning what Sceledrus is doing.
	As sunlight hit the mask of Pleusicles, the young lover, expression and nuance are added to the character.
	Eavesdropping scenes are of course a staple of Plautine comedy. Here, Sceledrus and Palaestrio (the tricky slave) listen in on Philocomasium's prayer to Diana.
	The articficiality of the aside convention was emphasized by deliberately contrived staging.
	My approach to asides and to delivery of Plautus' lines is discussed in "Quis Hic Loquitur? Plautine Delivery and the 'Double Aside'," Syllecta Classica 10 (1999), 105-129.
	Palaestrio teaches his master how to walk and talk like a sailor, in a dry-run of the lover's later appearance "in disguise".
	"Disguised," Pleusicles and Palastrio deal with Philocomasium, who has pretended to feint at the thought of leaving the soldier.
	The final scene has the defeated soldier threatened by a cook (whose mask was inspired by that of a mageiros in one of the Menander mosaics) who intends to leave the victim without his "testimonials" (line 1420).
	The final performance had winds gusting above 105 kph. As this picture shows, even the bare door frames had blown over as the actors struggled to be heard. During this performance, the roof of the Aquarena across the street was damaged by the winds so that the pool was closed for several weeks following. Nevertheless, the heroic actors (and audience!) persevered.

© C.W. Marshall 1997 Last updated March 2000