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On 25th January the Ashmolean Museum will be transformed into Mount Olympus for all to enjoy for the event, An Evening With The Gods.
The night will offer visitors the opportunity to explore the classical world of myth and legend, incorporating live theatre and operetta, and cocktails in the ‘Elysium’ of the rooftop Dining Room or at the ‘Underworld’ vaulted café. Admission will be free, although there will be certain ticketed performances inside.
The event has been organised in association with the Oxford University Classics Society, as part of the museum’s LiveFriday programme, one of a number of new initiatives taking place in the Ashmolean as part of its 330th anniversary celebrations.
On the last Friday of each month the Ashmolean will open its doors between 7pm and 10.30pm for a specially curated event, also allowing visitors to experience the collections and major exhibitions after hours.
The evening will involve performances from the Oxford University Classical Drama Society, working alongside other student societies. These will include a surtitled Latin comedy directed by Tim Foot of Merton College, a first for OCDS who have traditionally focused on Greek tragedy.
Veronica Shi, President of OCDS, told Cherwell, “What’s particularly special about the event is that, with some exceptions, it has been planned or implemented by student groups under the auspices of the Ashmolean. It’s a testament to the importance which both the Classics Faculty and the museum place on outreach and education. It’s not every day that a world-class museum like the Ashmolean allows students to spend an evening wandering around in togas and transforming its basement into a version of Tartarus!”
Actors dressed in classical costumes will give tours of the museum’s collections, and visitors will be encouraged to interact with performers as well as taking part in activities such as a balloon debate, and learning to tie a toga.
The evening has received some criticism, however. Rob Frome, a second-year classicist from Balliol, cautioned, “The content suggests that the driving desire to grab the interest of a wider audience has produced another unrealistic representation of the classical era, making it seem as exciting and fun as possible, at the cost of twisting the facts, and dressing people up as a Hollywood gladiator.”
A fourth-year Classicist agreed, saying, “Although the night sounds really interesting and lively, I’m less sure about the costumes. Hopefully they can carry it off – the Ashmolean is an incredible venue, one we’re lucky to have, and if anybody can stop this turning into ‘Carry on Classics’ then they can.”
Susan McCormack, Head of Public Engagement and Curator of LiveFridays, said, “We are really pleased to be working with the students from the University of Oxford Classics Society on the Ashmolean’s first LiveFriday event. We want to make the Ashmolean accessible to all and allow visitors to ‘do’ as well as ‘see’.
“Opening late on the last Friday of every month will bring the Museum alive and encourage students and others to make the most of our fantastic collections and facilities. Most of the LiveFriday events and performances are free. The rooftop Dining Room and vaulted café will be open, making the Ashmolean the ultimate centrally located place for Oxford’s cultural night out.”
