There’s one thing The Silliad teaches us. From the long-enduring dilemma of why yawning is infectious, to the problem of dreams dissolving when you try to describe them… there are always some bickering, fallible gods behind the scenes who are responsible for it all.
Nowadays these Gods go by the name The Silliad, and are currently performing every day at the Edinburgh Fringe, inside an actual cave. The Indiependent sat down to speak to them about the origins of their show, the art of improv, and the importance of myths and legends stretching into the present day.
The Indiependent: What is the concept of your show and how did it come about?
The Silliad: The four of us originally met at the University of York as part of its resident improv troupe, The Shambles (who, by the way, are also at the Fringe!). When it came to putting together our own show, our respective backgrounds in history, literature and archaeology seemed to point in one direction: sending up the classics in a way that only improvised comedy can.
We improvise a brand-new Greek, Norse or Egyptian myth that answers a question provided by the audience! As much as mythology and fables have been used in the past to answer questions on everything from the creation of the universe to the reason why our voices echo, we resolve great mysteries like why toast always falls butter-side-down and why flamingos are pink.
How do you prepare for improv?
The magic of improv is that it’s absolutely in the moment, but that also makes it difficult to prepare for! By design, it can sometimes feel like a runaway train we’re just barely keeping on track – one wrong decision and a plot can completely derail. That’s why it’s so important to trust everyone else on stage (and off!) and to understand their instincts. The only way to make it work is to practise!
What sets the experience of performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival apart from other venues?
We’ve performed up and down the country, including London, Brighton, and Yorkshire – but Edinburgh will always feel like home. The sheer number of people coming together to celebrate silliness, as well as create genuine art, is completely unique.
What would you say is the recipe for the ‘perfect’ myth?
The best thing about the pantheons we’ve chosen is that the gods, in a way, are very human. They’re motivated by greed, jealousy, lust, and sheer chaotic energy. So, the best myths are those that take a figure of great power, like Zeus, and show that beneath the bolt-hurling, Olympus-ruling exterior is a flawed soul with very short-term interests. The perfect myth brings a relatability to these deities and creatures – and that leads to classic fish-out-of-water comedy material.
Why do you think myths are powerful and important? Do they continue to be today?
The stories we tell ourselves are key to understanding our place in the universe. The great thing about performing silly myths in pantheons as far-reaching as Greek, Norse and Egyptian is that you soon realise people across the globe came up with the same sorts of themes, the same sorts of mythological figures, to understand themselves. The most powerful thing about a myth is how it can bring people together, and even after thousands of years that power hasn’t ebbed.
When there’s so much to choose from at the Fringe, why should people come and see The Silliad?
For mythology fans, it’s a no-brainer – but even if your myth knowledge has only come from Marvel movies and Rome: Total War, we put on a great show that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Plus, we’re performing a myth inside an actual cave, just like they did in ancient times – except, this time, there’s a lot more goofing around and less fear of invoking supernatural wrath. We haven’t been struck by lightning yet!
The Silliad ends their run at the Edinburgh Fringe on 21 August 2022, so grab tickets now!
Words By Natasha Matsaert
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