A mythical tale for modern times, Ransacking Troy is a bold stage play that imagines what happens when women band together to build a better world.
After nearly a decade of the Trojan War, the women of Greece are growing restless. Led by the indomitable Penelope and the fierce Clytemnestra, a band of Grecian women defy the odds and bravely set sail for the shores of Troy, determined to end the conflict themselves. The journey is fraught with danger – bloodthirsty warriors, mythical beasts, and the capricious will of the gods. But these women are no mere bystanders in the tales of men. Get ready to embark on the greatest adventure that Homer and Virgil never told.
A radical retelling of the ancient Greco-Roman epics, Ransacking Troy is a bold and brilliant reimagining of the most famous war story of all time, where women take centre stage as the rightful heroes. In her signature revisionist style, award-winning Canadian playwright Erin Shields brings a refreshing feminist twist to this thrilling odyssey, confronting the habitual violence and disregard for women’s lives that persist during times of war.
The play was first staged at the Stratford Festival, Ontario, Canada in 2025.
‘The text is a godsend for university and college drama departments looking for large-scale, ideas-driven, female-centric plays’
— Intermission Magazine
‘Another canonical classic successfully ransacked for gold by Shields’
— The Globe and Mail
