The Last Spartan: Military Might or Artistic Excellence?
The Last Spartan. Written and performed by Pierre Brault
Sleeping Dog Theatre
Pierre Brault’s signature style is to deliver a compelling one-person show in several voices. His material is invariably well researched and his switches in character always well distinguished.
In The Last Spartan, first presented to great acclaim at the Ottawa Fringe in June, he tells the story of Dorion. A disgraced Spartan, he is being given the opportunity to redeem himself by defending a playwright who dared to mock the gods and challenge Spartan values. Redemption for Dorion is dependent on his losing the case and thereby reaffirming all that Sparta holds dear.
In Ancient Sparta, bravery and military power were consider of primary importance. To die in battle was honourable. To retreat was disgrace. Dorion had been declared a “trembler” when he was among the group who surrendered to Athens. During the four years he lived in Sparta’s rival city state, he learned to appreciate the values that predominated in Athens (the seat of democracy) where education and cultural pursuits were highly valued. …