Flick Club LogoFlick Club Logo

Prometheus in Piccadilly

Wallace Bertram Nichols

Drama Prostitution Reworking Of Greek Myth

It is 20 years since I read Prometheus in Piccadilly, but in the absence of other descriptions, I will have a go:-

This is a lyrical play in somewhat classical style, by a deep and cynical observer of life. The work is reminiscent of Aldous Huxley at his best, with a touch of Aristophanes. It deserves to be better known. The title refers to the Greek god Prometheus, who stole fire for humans and suffered eternal torment as a result. Given one day to assess the achievements of mankind, he wakes in the guise of a sailor beneath the stature of Eros in Piccadilly, in the early twentieth or late nineteenth century. The god is befriended by a very intelligent atheistic poet or writer, who acts as his guide. Many of the characters are ordinary cockney prostitutes who frequent Piccadilly and the main events of the day revolve around a nice girl pushed into prostitution, who murders her prospective client rather than submit to sexual intercourse with him. Many different moods are evoked throughout the course of the play and there is much to ponder.