Combining experimental archaeology and practice-based research, the project has investigated the performance qualities and style of the masks of Greek New Comedy. Its aims have been to image in 3D selected New Comedy monuments from UK and European museums, and to conduct studio research with full-size reconstructions of the masks, scaled exactly from the 3-dimensional co-ordinates. Employing leading-edge 3D scanning technologies, the project has broken new ground in ancient theatre research by the process chain of reverse-engineering and rapid prototyping of the artefacts, and by the objectivity of the mask construction and studio research. The work has validated the central hypothesis of the project - that the best of the miniatures conserve not only the proportions of full size originals, but also the ‘aspects’, balance, flow of lines, asymmetries, and other qualities of a performable mask: they are thus even more informative evidence for ancient performance than has previously been recognised.

The project has 3D scanned around 50 of the Lipari masks preserved in Kelvingrove and Lipari, and others from e.g. the Ashmolean and Fitzwilliam museums. Using 3D printing, it has successfully created both artefact-size replicas and enlarged matrices for life-size wearable masks which reproduce the original forms without the mediation of a modern sculptor. Working in collaboration with the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre and VeneziaINscena, the project has sought to recover the acting style and cultural significance of New Comedy, and to promote it as a major tradition of European mask by research in the studio with experienced European masks professionals, training of drama students, and by public performances and events. In summer 2003 a production of the Epitrepontes was presented at Siracusa and filmed in the Roman theatre in Lecce, which was the first to use accurately reconstructed masks as well as authentic forces, with four male actors sharing roles and masks. In the exhibition Behind the Mask (Banbury Museum, 2003) 3D-printed replicas were displayed together with full-size masks and a video installation of performance. The participation of the project in Prima del Teatro: scuola Europea per l’arte dell’attore (San Miniato 2002) gave students of leading European drama academies experience of the New Comedy masks. The project also jointly organised the conference The Greek theatre Mask in ancient and modern performance (Royal Holloway 2002).