Calypso In Exile

On the death of Poseidon, Calypso and her sister Circe are exiled from Atlantis by the new ruler, their father, Atlas, for unruly behavior and for practicing magic. Each now inhabits an isolated island. Circe forms a political alliance with the Amazons and Gorgons to defeat Atlas, but Calypso, consumed by her love for Ulysses, brings about a different ending to this ill-fated venture.

“Calypso In Exile” begins with the death of Poseidon under whose rule Atlantis has grown into a powerful trading nation with colonies on each side of the Atlantic. Poseidon’s first son, Atlas, inherits the empire which is divided into regions each ruled over by the remaining nine sons. Atlas feels weighed down under the burden of rule, and is particularly annoyed by the behaviour of his daughters. The ceremony for the divination of Poseidon is noisily interrupted by Calypso and her female companions who have been hustling in the harbour at Cercenes. Calypso insults her grandfather claiming he suppressed the true religion of Atlantis, now condemned as witchcraft. Furious, Atlas banishes both Calypso and Circe from Atlantis. Ulysses visits the island of Ogygia to which Calypso has been banished, he having recently escaped from Circe’s clutches at her island. Ulysses and Calypso instantly fall in love causing Ulysses to abandon his travels and remain with her. Meanwhile Circe makes an alliance with Medusa of the Gorgons, and Sara of the Amazons, whose North African homelands around Lake Tritonis are being ravaged by raiding parties. They plot to make an ally of Zeus who they know to be now in competition with Atlas, and may wish to join them in an invasion of Atlantis. Calypso has refused to join with them and Ulysses offers to sail with her to Atlantis to inform Atlas of the plot and, in so doing, persuade him to lift her banishment order. A violent storm at sea causes the invasion fleet to founder. A handful of sailors survive to make land at Atlantis where they report on the appearance of strange apparitions and omens accompanying the deaths of Zeus, Ares, Circe, Medusa and Sara. Ulysses reluctantly tells Calypso he must leave her to return to his home. Atlas comforts Calypso, offering his forgiveness, support and bids her join a ceremony of thanksgiving to the Gods for saving Atlantis, now at the peak of its power and glory.

Derek Strahan was born in Penang, Malaysia on May 28th 1935, and spent his early childhood in colonial Malaysia. He was evacuated with his mother and sister to Perth, W.A. when Singapore fell to the Japanese in February 1942. In 1946 the Strahans settled in Northern Ireland and Derek completed his schooling in Belfast. In 1952 he attended Cambridge University on a scholarship studying for an arts degree in modern languages. (French and Spanish). He also further developed his interest in theatre cinema and music, and acted in a number of university productions. He graduated in 1954 and worked in London for the next six years as relief teacher, actor, singer-songwriter and assistant film director making commercials. In 1961 Strahan returned to Australia and settled in Sydney for 2 years. He then worked in TV in NZ from 1964 to 1966 writing and directed documentaries. The year 1967 was spent in the UK, visiting family and teaching. He then returned to Sydney and has remained here. A period of teaching for the NSW Department of Education in Sydney (1968–70) was combined with writing music for numerous wild life documentaries and writing songs for live performance and on TV. He has remained in Sydney where he functions in several aligned capacities as opportunities arise: writer, composer of film and concert music, film director, film and record producer and actor. As a writer Strahan worked for 3 years (1964-66) scripting and directing documentary film features for New Zealand television including a 6-part series on Sir Edmund Hilary’s aid work in the Himalayas. He then worked for 5 years as contract scriptwriter for the TV serial “Number 96” (1970-75). He also wrote episodes for “Cop Shop”, “Glenview High”, “Chopper Squad”, “Carrots!” (a children’s’ program on Channel 7), and “Flying Start” in 1986 (ABC program on small business). He also scripted corporate videos for Broadcom. He has written libretti for 3 major vocal works: "Rose of the Bay", a song cycle commissioned by Mezzo-soprano Lauris Elms AM OBE, premiered at the Sydney Opera House (1987) and recorded by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; "Eden in Atlantis" a 25-minute Scena. premiered by soprano Liza Rintel at the Joan Sutherland Room, Opera Center, Sydney, both released on CD, and "Calypso in Exile" for soprano and wind quintet. Three feature films have been produced from his scripts “Leonora” (1985), released on video, cable in US & Europe, and shown on Channel 9 in 1996; “Fantasy” (1990), released internationally on Columbia Tri-Star video, and “Inspector Shanahan Mysteries – Cult of Diana”(1992), shown on Channel 9 in 1996. He directed “Leonora” and co-directed “Fantasy” with Geoffrey Brown for Combridge International, and also wrote music for these three features. His 1-Act play “Triple Six” was seen in a student production at Newcastle University in 1996. He has written a considerable body of music for film and concert performance much of which has been released on CD and is frequently broadcast. Theater plays are posted at BookBaby: “Eden In Atlantis” “Takeover” “Bullet-Proof Pyjamas” “Sodom and Tomorrow” “Preface to Meet The Fractals” “Meet The Fractals” “Pleroma” “Everything Else” “Poseidon In Atlantis” “Calypso In Exile” "Atlantis Lost".