Ajax Major
When the Greeks needed a single mighty warrior to face off against Prince Hector of Troy, there weren’t many choices better than the Achaean powerhouse known as Ajax. The eldest son of Telamon, the famous Argonaut-turned-king, Ajax was trained in the art of war by the centaur Chiron. His formidable strength, massive stature, and impressive strategic intelligence earned him the nicknames “Ajax the Great” and “bulwark of the Mycenaeans” (his name “Ajax Major/The Greater” is meant to distinguish him from fellow Trojan warrior Ajax, son of Oeileus – aka “Ajax Minor/The Lesser”). So great was Ajax’ reputation on the battlefield, that his fame was only eclipsed by that of his cousin and fellow Chiron apprentice, Achilles.
During the Trojan War, Ajax was chosen from amongst Agamemnon’s warriors to meet Prince Hector in one-on-one combat. The two men battled for an entire day, pushing one another to their very limits. So exhausting was the encounter that Zeus himself was called in to end it, declaring it a draw. Before leaving the battlefield, the two proud warriors displayed their mutual respect for one another through the exchange of gifts: Ajax giving Hector a purple Greek sash, and Hector giving Ajax a Trojan sword. The two would battle again (their bout at Mycenaean considered their true “second bout”, with their battle over Patroclus’ body considered merely a footnote) before meeting vastly different fates (Hector being killed by Achilles, Ajax surviving the war, only to kill himself later), but their first battle is considered a defining moment of the Trojan War, as it gave each side a new perspective of the other.
Charles Lewis’ short play Punchy reimagines the classic myth of these two heroes not as soldiers on the battlefield, but as two retired boxers. Though their three fights are considered legendary in pugilistic history, it’s clear that both Hector and Ajax are past their physical prime. Although Ajax has made a degree of peace with this circumstance, Hector isn’t as willing to hang up his gloves. As such, Hector has just signed on for a fight with one of the sport’s new rising stars. As the date of the fight draws ever nearer, Ajax – Hector’s best friend and greatest opponent – tries one last time to convince Hector not to step into the ring with someone younger, hungrier, and who has nothing to lose.
AJAX MAJOR or PUNCHY by Charles Lewis III
Directed by James Nelson
staged reading on Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Ben Grubb (Hector)
Carl Lucania (Ajax)
The producers of the San Francisco Olympians Festival would like to point out that Charles Lewis III has rightfully earned his place as a writer for the 2013 festival and that he did not force his way in by threatening to release incriminating photographs of said producers. Just sayin’. This will be his second time as a festival writer – having written and directed last year’s one-act about the Titan Atlas. He has previously written for TheaterPub and Wily West Productions. A prolific presence in front of the curtain, the companies for which he’s acted include such renowned local names as ACT, Custom Made, PianoFight, Impact, Cutting Ball, New Conservatory Theatre Centre, Playwrights Centre of San Francisco, Wily West, Atmos Theatre, No Nude Men, TheaterPub, and Custom Made (of which he is a member – appearing in this year’s production of Prelude to a Kiss, directed by Olympians Fest founder Stuart Bousel). Yes, he’s still chasing after Megan Cohen in terms of Bay Area theatre prolific… ness. He can also be found on-line, condensing his nonsensical thoughts on Twitter @SimonPatt. His more long-winded ramblings can be found on his blog, The Thinking Man’s Idiot.
The piece of Ajax Major was created by Brian Yee!