Spike
THE all-inclusive, world peace-promoting tradition of carrying the Olympic torch was invented by Hitler.
This is one of the many surprising facts uncovered by Spike Theatre artistic director Mark Smith in creating his new comedy The Games.
“It’s a Nazi reincorporation,” he explains. “In Ancient Greece, they had flame races, but not as part of the Olympic Flame.
“The first time the modern Olympics saw the Olympic Torch was in Berlin.”
Reeling from this discovery, Smith went on to learn of pankration (“”ultimate fighting”, the lack of women (“they weren’t allowed, so of course we’ve got one in the play”) and armour racing (“they’re naked and they’re running in armour”).
