Adapting Ancient Myth: “HANGRY HARPIES”

We here at The Ancient Monsters Blog recently had an exciting opportunity: the chance to discuss the development of an upcoming television series, Hangry Harpies. Our guests are Rebecca Lauren, Creator/Producer/Actor, and Meredith Ginsburg, Director of the pilot episode. The mythological Harpies are best known from the story of Jason and the Argonauts, in which Zeus sends them to plague the blind King Phineus to punish him for revealing secrets of the gods. The Harpies would swoop down and snatch away any food that was set in front of him and pollute it with their excrement. Hangry Harpies promises a new take on this ancient mythological monster.

You’re here to discuss your upcoming television series, Hangry Harpies. What’s the basic premise?

Rebecca: Hangry Harpies is a dark comedy series about the clashing of wildly emotional and often “hangry” housemates…who just happen to be fantastical Harpies living in modern day Brooklyn, as ordained by a seriously swanky Zeus. The Harpies initially consist of five unique women with varying personalities living in a “nest” house that’s reminiscent of a sorority. They are bitchy and cackling. They are easily triggered, butting heads; however, they do love and care for one another as they experience day-to-day drama, not only as a group of women living together, but also as mythological creatures trying to blend in with humans in order to serve Zeus’ mission. They dress normally and in current style, but they have giant feathered wings in different color combinations, with color-matching long and stylized manicured talons. The wings are usually visible, but can be hidden and controlled in public when the Harpies remain emotionally stable, which is sometimes is difficult. They are quite often hangry and feeding.

Meredith: Harpies appear in only a few ancient myths, and in them they are monsters sent by a master for chaos and destruction—like an act of karma. So, it was fascinating to find a story that centered on the Harpies, balancing their monster qualities while also configuring them as protagonists. It’s a really intriguing story and series for me to sink my own talons into. Helping to create a world and a focus on these half-women, half-birds has been deeply fun and entertaining. But the audience will see that the Harpies in this world still act according to the will of Zeus—some more than others.

Why Harpies? What was it about the Harpies, specifically, that appealed to you, or struck you as the most appropriate or interesting monster of ancient myth around which to center your show? Their Greek name, Harpyai, literally means “snatchers.” But their actions and characterizations in ancient myth have led to some often very unflattering modern interpretations.

Rebecca: I am fascinated by the modern usage of the word “harpy.” Most often, women are characterized as “Harpies” when they are opinionated, loud, or—quite frankly—bitchy. “Stop being such a harpy!” and “Don’t harp on it!” are expressions I’ve heard commonly used to silence an emotional woman with something personal to say. Intelligent or assertive women are thus categorized as monsters, but does the general populace even know the origin of the meaning? I think Harpies are an under-appreciated monster, a creature not covered in pop culture as often as other monsters. I want to take advantage of this, yes, with a feminist take, and reclaim the word. Why is it so wrong to be a harpy? They are powerful and make an impact.

I’ve also observed in modern culture the frequent use of the slang word “hangry” to describe (often a woman) who is angry due to being hungry. I’ve created interesting, smart, and hormonally charged harpy characters whose behaviors are often exacerbated by the desire to feed. Harpies have been characterized as ravenous, stealing food from victims, sometimes even eating their victims. My Harpies represent this mythology. One Harpy just might even be a man-eater.

Meredith: Monsters are often misrepresented and misunderstood. It’s part of the curse of a monster’s story; they rarely have a chance to present their own versions. Frankenstein’s monster was one of the first to ever really tell his own tale. So, helping to create a new narrative for a mostly ignored mythic creature felt inspiring. People tend to expect mythic creatures to behave in ancient ways, but I think what is so interesting about our show is that our Harpies are more in tune to the ruling human world and are hip with it while still being in touch with their ancient origins and facing them with levity.

Your story is set in modern-day Brooklyn, with part of the pilot filmed at Coney Island. What led you to choose Brooklyn as the setting, and what role does Coney Island play in setting up the show?

Rebecca: Yes, we are filming in the gritty and witty Coney Island! I proudly reside in the community, and I truly believe that this campy production has found its home here. Coney Island has a history of the bizarre and is known to celebrate diversity and individuality with drag, burlesque, and “freak” shows and of course the iconic Mermaid Parade. People of all walks of life enjoy Coney Island and its special place in New York. We represent this iconic Coney Island flair within the series (see image below). Hermes will be played by a fabulous drag artist, and we lovingly celebrate the LGBTQ community as well. And what better way to blend a monster into human culture than in a community of “freaks”?

You’ve opted not to use computer generated effects, which is admirable! The Harpies will have hand-constructed wings. Your apartment is knee-deep in feathers. Would you like to tell us more about the costuming and overall look/style of the show?

Rebecca: The Harpies dress in a normal, current style, but they do sport giant wings in a rainbow of colors. The gorgeous wings are handmade by me and Meredith (see images below). I did a little costume and design work during my theater education at Drew University; I’m obsessed with fashion, and love Halloween and dressing up, so it’s just natural to incorporate my own specific aesthetic through these physical costumes. I want the show to feel quirky and be a world of its own. The Harpies are in some ways like puppets, in a totally absurd farce full of a whimsy that never takes itself too seriously, inspired a bit by the musical Avenue Q, and that fun Muppet-like vehicle through which adult topics are handled. So even though the show’s themes can be dark and intense, the Harpy world will be coated in a candy-colored vibe. The show is often pink and girly to play on the feminine subjects light-heartedly, but each Harpy has a unique color scheme. I want the audience to put aside their perception of reality to dive into this experience: a Harpy journey that also takes a stand against the oversaturated use of CGI.

Meredith: Audiences know when things are real versus CGI. Look at the Barbie movie: so much of it was real props and real painted backgrounds. They took a page from the MGM movies of the 1950s and re-introduced modern audiences to how incredible and feasible physical props on celluloid film are. There’s an artistry in filmmaking that’s been lost to CGI. While it creates incredible things, a touch of reality and believability gets lost. Our actors will get to touch and interact with their wings. They won’t have to pretend or use their imagination because it will be right on their backs and in everyone’s faces. This will create a more tangible performance.

What stage is your project at—sounds like you’re working on a pilot episode, and are trying to build interest?

Rebecca: We are in the process of filming the pilot episode, and it’s very exciting! We are actively still working on funding to make this independent female-led project happen. Please see our Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign for more information. The goal is to fund the pilot for potential distribution or for investors to help us film a full season, and from there the Harpy world is our oyster!

Whatever your future plans are for this show, what do you think accounts for the ongoing appeal of ancient monsters in the modern world?

Rebecca: I plan to play this out and see what happens! This girl could only dream of a full franchise with adorable merch and collectible figurine dolls that have expanding wings and their own catchphrase.

I think there is always going to be an appeal to ancient monsters! They’re storied and treasured for a reason. Beyond deep historical roots, the themes often stay true, relatable, and fun for a modern audience. I’ve taken these fascinating mythological monsters and given them wildly fun dreams and personalities and relationships that are relatable to the contemporary world. One Harpy struggles with online dating; another dreams of being a successful poetry blogger. Their relationships are the core of the show within this fixture of an adaptation of mythology.

Meredith: There’s a reason why ancient creatures have stayed in the human storytelling zeitgeist for centuries. Interest in games like D&D and genres like sf and fantasy shows no signs of waning, so there’s no better time to aim big for the Hangry Harpies. All people feel like they deal with monsters; they’re the skeletons in your closet, the fears that live under your bed or on your news networks. So, having a fantasy world in which we can watch monsters creatures grow and relate to us, often through levity, will always create a connection with our audience. I’ve heard it said that in many cultures and many communities living joyfully is an act of rebellion. Our show is just that, a funny, bitchy, hangry, act of rebellion.

I hope that people will tune in and join in on the creation of the show and its future. According to Aristotle, “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”* Our Harpies are filled with love, humor, anger, needs, and desires. All living creatures do. So, whether you’ve got a tail, talons, fangs, or fur on a full moon, there is something relatable for everyone.

*This widespread quote attributed to Aristotle is actually a paraphrase of ideas from Aristotle’s Poetics, and comes from Will Durant’s The Story of Philosophy (Chapter 2, section 6).

Hangry Harpies also got a recent shout out on the hit podcast Let’s Talk about Myths, Baby! hosted by Liv Albert.