The play that I chose to re-write is Agamemnon 2.0. This is the story of Agamemnon returning from the Trojan War. Of course the story reads that they were victorious; however the twist of events as opposed to the war itself is what proved to be climax of the story. Before I get to the re-write, I will explain the scenes in Agamemnon and then set up the re-write.
The story begins with four men standing by the camp fire talking about the war.
Herodotus  (a quadriplegic, in an old wooden wheel chair)
Thucydides (a dwarf, or double amputee)
Homer (blind, with round, wire-rimmed dark glasses)
Hesiod (an epileptic; tremors run through his body from time to time for which he must sometimes pause to bring them under control)
Much like most conversations of war, they are speaking primarily of the horror stories that they have heard. The war started as a result of the kidnapping of Helen; wife of Menelaus. Agamemnon and Menelaus; both sons of Aulis, set sail to return Helen and conquer Troy for what they did. Throughout the play the four men swap stories of what they heard about the war, until finally they received word from a massager that it was over. After 10 years Agamemnon has returned; however without Helen or Menelaus.
Now is where the twist occurs. Prior to Agamemnon leaving for the war, he first had to sacrifice one of his children, being that he was willing to put the lives of others sons at risk. He called upon his wife to bring their daughter to him, for her to be wedded Achilles. When they arrived, he murdered his daughter. After ten long years of war, his wife Clytemnestra would not forget this.
When Agamemnon returned from war he was greeted by his wife with praises fit for a war hero. Although he did not welcome it at first she made it hard for him to resist. Lured by Clytemnestra seduction; he was venerable. At that moment he was murdered by Clytemnestra.
Was he murdered for taking the life of their daughter ten years prior? Maybe; but that’s not all. Aulis; which is the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus had murdered her father. This was a great play; and there is a lot more detail to the story however I will now get to the re-write.
The story is re-written with new cast members and is set in modern times. The characters are Rob, Victor, Hector and Mike. They are perched outside of their local bodega telling war stories about the neighborhood of the past. As two young men walk by with sagging pants, Hector comments “you know the today have lost their minds, I remember the good ol days”. As each of them agrees Rob goes on to tell a story about the bodegas that they are standing out in front of.
He starts by telling the story about two brothers and a cousin that owned the local barbershop. Everyday these three guys would play the lotto. Well one day, their number came out and they hit the big one. The neighbors were cheering and the family was out in the street because everyone knew they had won. Through out all of the commotion it went unnoticed that something and someone was missing. Where is the cousin? And, where is the ticket? Soon enough word got around that the cousin had taken the ticket and fled to Miami where he is held up by his loyal followers. Rob goes on to tell how the two brothers went to Miami to retrieve the ticket only to be surprised. The cousin was their expecting them along with both of the brother’s wives. Needless to say neither brother made it back, and the cousin nor wives were never heard of again. As Hector, Victor and Mike looked at each other, they just shook their heads. Finally Mike looked at Rob and said “What the f%&# does that story have to do with Hectors comment”?
I’m not sure what inspired the re-write, maybe it was the influence of the twist and turns in Agamemnon, but certainly the deceit.
great remake!!!