The Seven: Greek Tragedy in Hip-Hop Rendition Makes Boredom Entertaining

Will Power’s Hip-Hop rendition of Aeschylus’ tragedy, The Seven Against Thebes, takes an archaic play and turns it into a modern exciting, spectacle that audiences today can enjoy. Through the use of hip-hop and a contemporary feel, Powers translates Aeschylus’ ancient message of fate and destiny to have modern significance in the political and social events of today.

With the incorporation of hip-hop into this musical rendition, this Greek tragedy becomes accessible to the common man of today. With many references to pop culture, the audience is readily able to connect with the story and relate to something that would otherwise be unknown territory. The Seven quickly captivates the audience with its music, and has an even mix of drama and comedy throughout much of the first act. As the play progresses, Powers makes a gradual transition from comedy, to tradgedy, but is subtle enough so that it very undetectable by the audience.

Aeschylus’ original play has many notable differences to The Seven that is currently running at The New York Theater Workshop. For example, the addition of the ghost of Oedipus to The Seven adds another layer and meaning to Power’s adaptation that the original did not contain. In addition, the entire perspective of The Seven has been changed from the original in that the story is presented from both warring brother’s perspectives, which gives a more even balance to the issues, and makes the play more eventful and interesting.

One of the most memorable and interesting aspects of The Seven is the pervasive use of hip-hop throughout the entire performance. Before the show begins, the sounds of 50-Cent and Jay-Z fill the small theater, only to be interrupted by the sounds of scratching by the DJ who accompanies the audience throughout the rest of the performance.

The constant use of an on-stage DJ and booth gave this greek tragedy the feeling of a trendy nightclub, and the also acted as a narrator, carrying the audience through this complicated story and comedically “translating” it into things we could understand.

Not only is hip-hop the background noise to most of the performance, but most of the lines are all rapped as well. The Seven also includes many catchy rap-offs which give this greek tragedy the feeling of a street performance. This gives the audience another opportunity to connect with an ancient story that would otherwise be very distant and uninteresting.

Some of the most memorable scenes throughout the play include the frequent interruptions of the “Pimp Daddy” Oedipus and the flashbacks and recaps of what happened “while we were out.” One of the most memorable scenes however, was the introduction of the Seven, and the way that they were all introduced as infamous gangsters. Even though the play deals with a serious matter, the atmosphere is very light-hearted and keeps you captivated and interested for the entire performance.
Besides the performances and script, the “scenery” itself was very creative, especially during the introduction of the seven. Two projection screens and two levels act as either two separate locations, or a sometimes as a multi-level building. The screens set the atmosphere and display each warriors “gang sign.” For example, each solo rap is finished with gunshots on the screen or a wall of shattering glass. In the same spirit of street-style performance, the cast did not wear “costumes” in the traditional sense, but everyday clothes with a hip-hop influence.

The Seven, although not the first play that has been redone in hip-hop form, it is one of the best. The songs were genuinely entertaining and the rappers genuinely talented. When it comes to hip-hop, an audience can easily detect if the performers aren’t versed in the genre. However, the cast of The Seven is for real and keeps the audience captivated, and sometimes even laughing.

Although its no timeless classic, Will Powers has produced a work of art that will more than entertain today’s audiences and bring an ancient message of peace to our current war ridden world.