The Odyssey: Missing Presumed Dead

A high-ranking government minister with a colorful past is sent on a diplomatic mission to Istanbul. When his trip ends up in a barroom brawl, he becomes Europe's most wanted man overnight. Chased by the authorities, damned by religious leaders, pursued by those looking for vengeance and headhunted by fanatics, his odyssey begins.

Plunged into the ancient past, Odysseus must now contend with all the unworldly beings and unnatural phenomena that stand in his way. The Cyclops, the Sirens, witches, whirlpools, and flesh-eating armies must all be overcome in the struggle for survival and the long voyage back home.

Simon Armitage's The Odyssey: Missing Presumed Dead premiered at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre in September 2015 then toured the U.K. in a co-production with English Touring Theatre.

Simon Armitage was born in West Yorkshire and is Professor of Poetry at the University of Sheffield. A recipient of numerous prizes and awards, he has published ten collections of poetry, including Selected Poems (2001), Seeing Stars (2010) and his acclaimed translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (2007). A broadcaster and presenter, he also writes extensively for television and radio, is the author of two novels, the bestselling memoir All Points North (1998) and Walking Home (2012), his poetic journey along the Pennine Way. In 2010 he received the CBE for services to poetry.