Timon of Athens

Plot Summary

Timon, a rich Athenian, is famous for his liberality. As the play opens a group of people is gathering outside Timon's house, waiting to offer him flattering gifts or beg favours. There is much talk of his generosity and open-heartedness, which is immediately borne out when he appears, paying a friend's debts to free him from prison and giving money to a servant to allow him to marry. Only the cynical philosopher Apemantus has doubts about the sincerity of Timon's friends. The young general Alcibiades is warmly welcomed by Timon, who invites him and other friends to a banquet, at which there is more lavish distribution of gifts. However, Timon's steward Flavius realizes what his master doesn't – that Timon's extravagant lifestyle has emptied his coffers. Timon's creditors start to ask for payment and one after another he asks his friends for help, only to be refused by all. He invites them all to a second banquet, where he turns the tables on them. Alcibiades pleads in vain with the senate for the life of one of his soldiers who has committed a murder; in anger they banish him from Athens. The disillusioned Timon goes to live as a recluse outside Athens, railing bitterly against mankind. One day, digging for roots to eat, he discovers gold. He gives it away, first to Alcibiades, to pay the army he has raised against Athens, and his two whores, Timandra and Phrynia, then to some bandits. He finally offers some to his steward Flavius. Hearing of this, more false friends come out to flatter Timon but he drives them away, along with the senators from Athens who come to beg for his help against Alcibiades. Alcibiades wins his war against the Athenian senators, at which point news reaches the city that Timon is dead.

RSC Staging History 1960-2007

1965 RST: John Schlesinger
Ralph Koltai (design); John Bradley (lighting); Richard Rodney Bennett (music)

Paul Scofield (Timon), Brewster Mason (Alcibiades), Paul Rogers (Apemantus), Tony Church (Flavius), David Waller (Lucullus), Janet Suzman (Timandra), Elizabeth Spriggs (Phrynia), James Laurenson (Lucilius), Timothy West (Lucius), Jeffery Dench (Head of Senate), Charles Kay (Poet), Michael Williams (Painter), Michael Pennington (Titus), Peter Geddis (Caphis), Frances de la Tour (Townsperson), Estelle Kohler (Townsperson)

1980 TOP/1981 Warehouse: Ron Daniels
Chris Dyer (design); Leo Leibovici (lighting); Guy Woolfenden (music)

Richard Pasco (Timon), James Hezeldine (Alcibiades), John Carlisle (Apemantus), Arthur Kohn (Flavius), Rob Edwards (Lucullus), Julia Tobin (Timandra), Judy Buxton (Phrynia/First Lady), Peter Settelen (Lucius), Oliver Ford Davies (Senator), Chis Hunter (Painter)

1999 RST/2000 Barbican: Gregory Doran
Stephen Brimson Lewis (design); Howard Harrison (lighting); Duke Ellington (music); John Woolf (music adaptation)

Michael Pennington (Timon), Rupert Penry-Jones (Alcibiades), Richard McCabe (Apemantus), John Woodvine (Flavius), Peter Kelly (Lucullus), Nadine Marshall (Timandra), Kemi Baruwa (Phrynia), Geff Francis (Lucius)