The Life of Aesop
by Kenneth Cavander
A family play based on the life and some of the fables of Aesop. 6 or more performers, simple area settings, 60 minutes.. $ 6.50
When Xanthus the philosopher goes to the market in Samos to buy a slave, little does he know he that he is about to buy a gourmet cook, a counselor for his adolescent son, rescue from the consequences of a rash boast, and a political ambassador to negotiate the freedom of his native island. In other words, he buys Aesop.
Aesop works his magic in the play, as he probably did in life, by the fables he tells. The characters don simple masks to play out tales of crows and frogs, mice, a fox, and a lion.
The Life of Aesop is ideal for companies who play to schools. It has a small cast, minimal sets, and lively action that combines the fun of fables with a thoughtful exploration of what slavery means. The resource guide in the script includes background on the fables and their morals, the historical Aesop (to the extent it is known), slavery in Aesop's day, and activities and topics for discussion.
Kenneth Cavander's The Life of Aesop, staged by Playhouse Jr., relates a clever and most enjoyable story. He uses the character of Aesop and his many fables to teach a lesson about the value of freedom and the evil of slavery. The play is set it ancient Greece where a blowhard philosopher receives his comeuppance and his son gains a friend and a greater understanding of man's responsibility to his fellow man.
Cavander's skill lies not just in his storytelling, but in his ability to inject humor that will tickle adults and children alike That joyfulness is extended in colorful bits of costume, loads of silly horseplay and a happy, meaningful ending that's sure to give Aesop a run for his money.
Anna Rosenstein
Pennsylvania Post Gazette
Pittsburgh
