Pandora’s Box
by Rosalind Vallance
Summary of Pandora’s Box
In this play only The Chorus and The Leader of the Chorus speak. The Chorus is made up of l2 people. Normally they all speak at the same time. Sometimes only 6 of them speak-this is called The Semi-Chorus.
The other characters are Pandora (a girl). Epimetheus(a boy) and Hermes(a god). They do not speak. They only mime. The chorus and the stage directions describe what they do.
Pandora enters first alone and plays with an imaginary ball. Epimetheus enters and they throw the ball to each other. They are playing. They are happy.
The Leader of the Chorus is worried. Then Hermes enters and The Leader thinks he has come to bless the children. Hermes is carrying an imaginary box. Pandora is fascinated by the box. Hermes warns her, then smiles and leaves.
Pandora and Epimetheus begin to play again but Pandora is still fascinated by the box. She hears a voice coming from it. She lifts the box up and then opens it. The Troubles escape from the box and begin to attack her. Epimetheus and Pandora manage to beat The Troubles away.
The Chorus explains that Pandora has let evil out of me box and it is impossible to put it back again. Pandora hears another voice from the box. She listens carefully and, even though she is frightened she opens the box again. This time, Hope flies out.
Explanation
At the beginning of the play the world is trouble-free. It is a perfect world where children can play safely. The Troubles of the world are trapped in the box. Hermes brought the box with The Troubles inside and left it near Pandora. The god did not open the box; a human being opened the box. In other words, The Troubles would not have been released into the world unless a human being (Pandora) had not been curious.
When the box was opened, The Troubles came out into the world. This was the worst situation, because there was no hope. However, when the box was opened a second time, Hope was released. This explains the world as it is today. There are troubles, but there is also hope.
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