When it comes to personal preference, I’ve always been attracted to more modern or contemporary plays. After reading  The Bacchae, I think I know why. The drama, which follows traditional formats of ancient Greek plays and early theatre, is very verbose and ornate in its language. And while I enjoy reading the stylistic intricacies, I don’t enjoy watching the words on stage nearly as much. When reading these ancient plays, I have time to re-read, digest and ponder the elaborate text. But on stage, everything happens so quickly there’s barely enough time to process the words flying out of the actors’ mouths. Even in contemporary abridged versions, I find that much of the words are obscured, the complexities and details that give the play its color lost in the translation from paper to stage. I imagine the sentiment would have been even stronger in fifth century Greece, with no microphones or projector screens to amplify and clarify the actor’s voices and intentions.