Classics Fest 2025 | Corruption in the Spotlight: Cicero versus Verres | The Lit & Phil
Arts
Literary Arts
Friday 16th May | 3pm At The Lecture Theatre at The Common Room (next door to the Lit & Phil) Corruption in the Spotlight: Cicero versus Verres. A performance followed by a panel discussion. Fake news, tax fraud and bribery - not today’s headlines but those of ancient Rome. Join us in exploring the roots of political corruption by looking at the Roman Magistrate Gaius Verres, whom Cicero famously put on trial (70 BC) for offences including spreading fake news. With contributions from sixth form students across the region, writer Kirsten Luckins reimagines the trial and puts a spotlight on its contemporary parallels. Performed by Wambui Hardcastle and Eilís Konstantina and presided over by Prof. Deveral Capps, Dean of Leeds Law School. This is a collaboration with Classics for All, Newcastle and Durham Universities and the Lit & Phil. Kirsten Luckins https://kirstenluckins.com is a poet, performer, and producer based in Teesside. She is artistic director of the Tees Women Poets, leading women of all backgrounds in Teesside to create and perform work about the issues that affect them and the values they live by. She is a director, dramaturg and creative producer specialising in taking poetry to the stage, and mentoring performance poets to find their authentic physical expression. Kirsten was the winner of the ClassicsFest 2024 Heroines competition last year with her entry Deianira: #Cancelled Professor Deveral Capps is a legal academic who has taught on undergraduate, postgraduate and professional courses and published widely on legal education, legal skills and eCommerce law. He is a barrister, and a door tenant at Trinity Chambers, and has practiced in both civil and criminal law appearing in courts across the North of England. Over the 25 years that Deveral has been involved in Higher Education, he has had significant input into the development of legal education and training in the UK. He is currently reviewing the requirements for the mandatory training and assessment of advocacy and negotiation skills during pupillage. Eilís Konstantina is a Geordie actor, with both Greek and Irish heritage. She trained at the Manchester School of Theatre, graduating in 2019. She has worked locally in Vera (ITV) and with November Club. Whilst at drama school, she performed in The Orestaia, where a love and appreciation for Greek Theatre was born. Eilis appeared at ClassicsFest 2024, playing the role of Ariadne in Bryony Lavery’s Ariadne: String. Wambui Hardcastle is a Northern Artist, working mostly as an actor, director, dramaturg, and writer. Wambui is a graduate of All In Actors, where they attended with a scholarship from The Stage, and Frantic Assembly’s Ignition talent development programme. Wambui was the North East Emerging Artist Award Winner for 2023/24 and was 1st Runner Up in Live Theatre’s inaugural North East Playwriting Award, U25. Wambui is proud to have collaborated and been supported by companies such as: Anansi Theatre, Eclipse Theatre, National Theatre Studios, Northern Stage (The White Card), November Club, RTYDS, The Ten, ThickSkin (Only The Beginning), Theatre Hullabaloo (When The Birds Sang), Unfolding Theatre, Zest Theatre Company, and 1623 (The Winter’s Tale). A LIVE Event at The Lecture Theatre at The Common Room | FREE Most events are free and take place at the Lit & Phil unless otherwise stated. Where there is a ticket charge, those on unemployment benefit and students are free. Booking opens 1st April Age recommendation for all events is 12 years+ All events must be booked in advance unless otherwise stated. Except for the ClassicsFest Competition Finale at Alphabetti Theatre. (If you would prefer to book directly over the phone, please call the Library Desk team on 0191 232 0192 and they will be happy to help) Kirsten Luckins; Prof Deveral Capps; Eilís Konstantina; Wambui Hardcastle| Images provided by promoter
Information Source: The Lit and Phil | eventbrite