S3 E6 The Golden Ram: The Constellation of Aries

What connects a golden-fleeced ram, a goddess crafted from clouds and  a set of twins? Davina the Diviner reveals all. The key to your destiny may lie in the stars.   Written by Morag Cross. Directed by Bibi Jacob. Featuring: Morag Cross as Verity, Helle & Nephele, Bibi Jacob as Davina & Ino. Tom Morton as Aeëtes and the Messenger. Ciaran Cresswell as Phrixos. Nigel Pilkington as the Newspaper and Market Vendors.   Sound and production by Geoff Chong.   A big thanks to Nige.  

Laelaps, Europa’s yellow dog, has forgotten what love is, until Procris enters his life. His devotion to her will lead him to some unexpected places in this heartbreaking tale of loyalty and treachery. Written and directed by Bibi Jacob.  Sound and production by Geoff Chong. Narrated by Sandy Bernard. Featuring Rufo Quintavalle as Minos and Zelda Rittner as Procris. And also featuring the lovely dogs, Luna and Gus. With huge thanks to their mistresses, Sandy and Gaëlle. Check out the substack Stelliferous for more on the constellations.

This epic and madcap episode concludes Ariadne’s story. It takes us into the heart of the labyrinth and up into the heavens with the constellation of the Northen Crown - Corona Borealis. Written and directed by Bibi Jacob. Featuring: Tom Morton as Silenus, Charlotte Donnelly as Psalakantha, Nigel Pilkington as Dionysus. Bibi Jacob as Ariadne, Rufo Quintavalle as Minos, Ciaran Cresswell as Theseus.   Original violin loops by Chloe Dunn Sound and production by Geoff Chong.

Pasiphaë, Queen of Crete, pays the price when her husband breaks his oath to Poseidon and refuses to sacrifice the Cretan Bull. In a letter to her daughter, Ariadne, she explains the terrible events that lead to the birth of the Minotaur. Written and directed by Bibi Jacob. Featuring Rose Romain as Pasiphaë and Bibi Jacob as Ariadne. Sound and production by Geoff Chong. Sources include ‘Euripides Dramatic Fragments - Cretans’ and of course Roberto Calasso’s ‘The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony.’

When Dionysus, god of wine and insanity, appears to Ariadne, determined to marry her, she tells him the tale of her ancestor Io.  Written and directed by Bibi Jacob. With Nigel Pilkington as Dionysus and Bibi Jacob as Ariadne. Original violin loops were created and performed by Chloe Dunn. Sound and production by Geoff Chong.    Sources include: Aeschylus’ 'Prometheus Bound', Moschus’ poem 'Europa', Walter Otto’s ‘Dionysus: Myth and Cult’ and Roberto Calasso’s ‘The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony,’  

Ariadne has been abandoned on the island of Naxos by Theseus. As she battles with heartache and homesickness she remembers her grandmother Europa. Written and narrated by Bibi Jacob. Sound and production by Geoff Chong. Sources for this re-telling include Moschus’ poem ‘Europa’; Roberto Calasso’s ‘The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony,’ and Ariadne’s letter to Theseus from Ovid’s ‘Heroides’ which you can hear me read on Late Night Classics: S1 E4: Heroides – Ariadne to Theseus

How do a slipper and an eagle lead to love?  Hermes explains all.    Written by Chris Mack with Bibi Jacob. Featuring Chris Mack and Bibi Jacob. Sound and production by Geoff Chong.   Discover our new show, Late Night Classics

You may know them as the Dioscuri - sons of Zeus - or as the Gemini Twins. In this episode discover the very unusal afterlife of the inimitable Castor and Polydeuces. Written and directed by Bibi Jacob. Starring David Stanley as Polydeuces, Kester Lovelace as Castor and Chris Mack as Hermes. Sound and production by Geoff Chong. Recorded at the SACD studios in Paris.  The quote from the Homeric Hymn to the Dioscuri comes from the  Evelyn-White translation.

In this final Trojan episode, the ghosts of the war rise up and tell tales of loss and consolation.  Sensitive listeners be aware  - some of the stories are disturbing. Written and narrated by Bibi Jacob. Sound and production by Geoff Chong. Extracts from 17314 Aisakos and 884 Priamus feature Ciaran Cresswell and Les Clack. A thank you to Chloe Dunn.

Andromache appears in the university observatory to recount her tragic tale. 175 Andromache is a main-belt asteroid – not a Trojan in the L4 or L5 Lagrange points in Jupiter’s orbit. But since her character is central to the Trojan war, we’ve included her in this special series.  Written and directed by KJ Dwyer. Edited by Bibi Jacob. With Mia Leahy as Dardana and Kate Colebrook as Petra. Original violin and vocal compositions written and performed by Chloe Dunn. Sound and production by Geoff Chong. Recorded at the SACD studios, Paris. You can listen to more of Chloe Dunn’s beautiful music, on becaflor.com / Bècaflor Teaser