INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA 2018

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Six productions from Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Georgia participate at this year’s edition of the “2018 International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama”, presenting performances at Paphos Ancient Odeon, Curium Ancient Theatre and “Skali” Amphitheatre in Aglantzia, from the 1^st until the 30^th of July 2018.

▪ Performances start at 21:00

▪ Please arrive at the theatre before 20:45*

*Spectators attending performances at the Curium Ancient Theatre are advised to arrive at least 45 minutes before the performance.

Info: www.greekdramafest.com

 

THEATRO ENA, Cyprus

TROJAN WOMEN by Euripides

▪ Sunday, July 1│Paphos Ancient Odeon [official opening]

▪ Tuesday, July 3│Curium Ancient Theatre

▪ Thursday, July 5│“Skali” Amphitheatre, Aglantzia

This year's edition of the "International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama” opens with the emblematic, timeless and one of the most important plays of Euripides, Trojan Women, produced by Theatro Ena.

At the Achaeans’ camp outside the looted city of Troy, the captured Trojan women and their queen, Hecuba, lament over their tribulations. Any members of the royal family left alive will become the property of the Achaeans, while Hecuba’s grandson, the young Astyanax, has been thrown from the walls, a victim of the conquerors΄ cruelty. As Troy is destroyed in flames, the desperate women are taken to the ships that will carry them across the Aegean to become slaves in the homes of the Achaeans victors. Human pain takes universal dimensions. The lamentation of women, mothers, spouses and sisters, human and revealing, points once again at the "works" of human nature. A story that (constantly) repeats itself ...

▪ With English surtitles

Directed and Adapted by: Andreas Christodoulides

Set and Costume Design: Lakis Genethlis

Music and Music Instruction: Evagoras Karagiorgis

Movement Director: George Demopoulos

Lighting Design: Andreas Christodoulides

Assistant to the Director: George Demopoulos

Cast:

Hecuba: Erica Begeti

Cassandra: Kristie Papadopoulou

Andromache: Elena Hadjiafxenti

Helen: Tina Leonora

Menelaus: Sotiris Mestanas

Talthybius: Manolis Michaelides

Astyanax: Vasilis Charalambous

Chorus: Efi Charalambous, Stalo Stylianou, Vasiliki Andreou, Maria Pogiatzi, Marilia Charidimou, Eleni Oroklinioti, Eirini Salata - Georgiou

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STEFI PRODUCTIONS, ROADS AND ORANGES FILMS, MUNICIPAL AND REGIONAL THEATRE OF KOZANI, MUNICIPAL AND REGIONAL THEATRE OF VERIA

AGAMEMNON by Aeschylus

▪ Saturday, July 14│Curium Ancient Theatre

▪ Sunday, July 15│Curium Ancient Theatre

The renowned Lithuanian director, Cezaris Graužinis, with an outstanding group of actors and artists, directs the first part of Aeschylus’ trilogy, Oresteia, Agamemnon and creates a performance about the origins and future of human violence. King Agamemnon returns to Argos, shortly after the end of the Trojan War. He triumphantly marches into the city and his palace, flaunting the Trojan princess and Apollo priestess Cassandra, as his spoils of war. Clytemnestra welcomes her husband, with effusive praise and honors, however it is quickly revealed that her enthusiasm conceals a well-orchestrated plan. She has decided to take revenge for the murder of their daughter, Iphigenia, sacrificed by Agamemnon to get the Greek ships afloat over ten years ago. The red carpet she rolls out for Agamemnon’s return foreshadows the impending bloodbath, when she and her accomplice/lover, Aegisthus, murder the king and his concubine.

▪ With English surtitles

Translated by: Yorgos Blanas

Directed by: Cezaris Graužinis

Set and costume design: Kenny MacLellan

Music and Music Instruction: Haris Pegiazis

Choreography – Movement Direction: Eddie Lame

Lighting design: Alekos Yiannaros

Assistant to the director: Sygklitiki Vlahaki

Production Manager: Anastasia Kavalari

Artistic direction of Stefi & Lynx Productions: Aliki Danezi Knutsen

Cast: 

Clytemnestra: Maria Protopappa

Agamemnon/Aegisthus: Yannis Stankoglou

Herald: Argyris Pantazaras

Cassandra: Iovi Fragatou

Watchman: Thodoris Katsafados 

Chorus: Markos Gettos, Dimitris Georgiadis, Tasos Theofilatos, Panagos Ioakim, Dimitris Karaviotis, Ilias Menagier, Dimitris Miliotis, Alexandros Moukanos, Alexandros Balamotis, Vasilis Papageorgiou, Klearchos Papageorgiou, Giorgos Papandreou

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SPECTRUM THEATER, Romania

MEDEA by Euripides

▪ Monday, July 16│“Skali” Amphitheatre, Aglantzia

▪ Wednesday, July 18│Paphos Ancient Odeon

Euripides’ Medea, a tragedy that combines moral complexity with overwhelming emotional impact, is presented by Spectrum Theatre, a Hungarian theatre company based in Transylvania, Romania. In this superb tragedy, which deals with the last act of the passionate affair between Jason and Medea, Jason decides to leave his wife in order to marry the daughter of Creon, king of Corinth. Medea takes the cruelest revenge: she kills their two children. With a minimal scenography, the director Viola Török focuses, through speech, on the inner world of the dramatic persons, highlighting their soul. The use of music, inspired by traditional Hungarian folk songs, aims to combine the old with the contemporary, the diachronic values of morality, justice and Medea's fight for revenge in a deceiving, unfair and cruel world.

▪ With English and Greek surtitles

Directed by: Viola Török

Scenography: Tímea Takács

Music: László Kelemen

Sound and Lighting Design: Róbert Incze

Production Manager: Zsuzsa Medve

Cast:

Medea: Emőke-Katinka Márton

Nurse: Anna Szász

Jason: András Korpos

Creon, King of Corinth: György Kárp

Aegeus, King of Athens: Sándor Tatai

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NATIONAL THEATRE OF NORTHERN GREECE

ORESTES by Euripides

▪ Friday, July 20│Curium Ancient Theatre

▪ Saturday, July 21│Curium Ancient Theatre

The NTNG presents Euripides’ tragedy, Orestes, in a new translation by the Greek poet Yorgos Blanas and directed by NTNG’s Artistic Director, Yannis Anastasakis.

After murdering his mother Clytemnestra, Orestes fades away in bed, tormented by the Furies, with his sister Electra by his side. When their uncle Menelaus, returns to Argos from Troy, accompanied by Helen, they hope that he will intervene and persuade the City to overturn the death sentence that has been passed on his nephew. However, neither Menelaus nor their grandfather Tyndareus wish to help him. Orestes then turns to Pylades, who is willing to risk his life to help his friend. The two young men, accompanied by Electra, plan to revenge themselves against Menelaus by killing Helen and her daughter Hermione, a plan that throws them deeper into a vicious circle of blood and violence. Trapped in their own actions, they desperately try to save themselves. The solution is ultimately provided by the intervention of Apollo, performing the role of deus ex machina.

▪ With English surtitles

Translated by: Yorgos Blanas

Directed by: Yannis Anastasakis

Set and Costume Design: Yannis Thavoris

Music: Babis Papadopoulos

Music Instruction: Nikos Voudouris

Movement Direction: Alexis Tsiamoglou

Lighting Design: Lefteris Pavlopoulos

Assistant to the Director: Samson Fytros

Assistant Set Designer: Elina Eftaxia

Production Coordinator: Marleen Verschuuren

Cast (in alphabetical order):

Electra:  Ioanna Kolliopoulou

Helen: Dafni Lamprogianni

Messenger: Nikolas Maragkopoulos

 Pylades: Dimitris Morfakidis

Apollo: Dimosthenis Papadopoulos 

Hermione: Marianna Pouregka

Tyndareus: Kostas Santas

Phrygian: Christos Stergioglou

Menelaus: Christodoulos Stylianou 

Orestes: Christos Stylianou

Chorus: Eleutheria Agkelitsa, Momo Vlachou, Stellina Vogiatzi, Anastasia Exintaveloni, Pavlina Zachra, Maria Konstanta, Christina Papatriantafillou, Maria Petevi, Elina Rizou, Evi Sarmi, Christina Christodoulou, Styliani Psaroudaki

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FRESH TARGET THEATRE ENSEMBLE, Cyprus

ALCESTIS by Euripides

▪ Monday, July 23│“Skali” Amphitheatre, Aglantzia

▪ Saturday, July 28│Paphos Ancient Odeon

▪ Monday, July 30│Curium Ancient Theatre

Fresh Target Theatre Ensemble participates at the Festival for the first time and presents one of Euripides’ most intriguing and enigmatic tragedies, Alcestis.

With Apollo’s assistance, Admetus, King of Pherae, has secured an unusual privilege: when his time comes to die, he will be spared, provided he can find someone to take his place in the Underworld. But who loves Admetus enough to give up their life for him? In the end, no one volunteers to die on his behalf except for his young wife, Alcestis, who bids farewell to life and embarks on a journey to the Underworld. Everyone in the palace mourns the loss of their devoted queen, who only one hero can bring back to life, by taking on Death and besting him.

Euripides’ oldest surviving play is characterized as a tragicomedy that rejects physical determinism and challenges deaths dominion, leaving many unanswered questions.

▪ With English surtitles

Translated by: Konstantinos Christomanos

Directed by: Paris Erotokritou

Set Design: Yiorgos Yiannou

Costume Design: Rea Olympiou

Music: Vassiliki Anastasiou

Movement Direction: Panagiotis Tofi

Lighting Design: Vassilis Petinaris

Assistant to the Director: Maria Masonou

Production Coordinator: Nedie Antoniades

Visual Communication: Demetris Sotiriou

Executive Producer: George M. Ioannou

Cast:

Alcestis: Niovi Charalambous

Admetus: Andreas Papamichalopoulos

Pheres: Spyros Stavrinides 

Apollo/Servant: Andreas Koutsoftas

Thanatos (Death)/Heracles: Yiannis Karaoulis 

Maidservant/Chorus leader: Myrsini Christodoulou

Chorus leader: Savvas Menoikou

Chorus: The Amalgamation Choir

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THE RUSTAVELI THEATRE, Georgia

ELECTRA by Sophocles

▪ Wednesday, July 25│ Paphos Ancient Odeon

▪ Friday, July 27│ “Skali” Amphitheatre, Aglantzia

The Rustaveli Theatre, the largest and one of the oldest theatres of Georgia, presents a gripping and suspenseful adaptation of Sophocles’ tragedy Electra, directed by Robert Sturua, Artistic Director of Rustaveli Theatre and renowned stage director, Grigoris Karantinakis and Nikoloz Heine-Shvelidze. Focusing on the power of women trapped in a patriarchal system, on the complex family and gender dynamics relevant to today’s world, on the political activism dictating us to raise our voices tirelessly in the name of justice, Robert Sturua’s visionary production manages to create a landscape of suspense and tension that propels the play to its inevitable conclusion.

Electra, which represents the last and most mature creative period of Sophocles, recounts the murder in the palace of Atreides, which reaches its peak with the matricide of Orestes.

▪ With English and Greek surtitles

Translated and adapted for the stage by: Grigoris Karantinakis and Nino Kantidze

Staging Director: Robert Sturua

Directed by: Grigoris Karantinakis and Nikoloz Heine-Shvelidze

Design: Mirian Shvelidze

Music editing: Ia Sakandelidze

Choreography: Kote Purtseladze

Assistant to the Director: Rusudan Barbakadze

Cast:

Old Slave: Irakli Macharashvili 

Orestes: Davit Gotsiridze / Lasha Jukharashvili

Electra: Eka Molodinashvili 

Chysothemis: Lela Akhalaia / Tamta Inashvili

Clytemnestra: Nino Kasradze 

Aegisthus: Beso Zanguri

Pylades: Gagi Svanidze

Chorus: Manana Abramishvili, Lela Akhalaia, Tamta Inashvili, Keti Svanidze, Keti Khitiri, Ana Amilakhvari

Music by Toru Takemitsu, Mark Isham, David Lang, Ólafur Arnalds and Rammstein are used in the performance.

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Important Information:

• Spectators attending performances at the Curium Ancient Theatre are advised to arrive at least 45 minutes before the performance. Cars must be parked at St. Hermogenes and spectators will be transported to the theatre by buses. The last bus route from St. Hermogenes to the theatre departs at 20:45.
• To facilitate the public in Nicosia, free shuttle transport from Nicosia to Curium Ancient Theatre will be provided, for the performances:
  • Agamemnon by Aeschylus (produced by Stefi Productions, Roads & Oranges Films, Municipal and Regional Theatre of Kozani and the Municipal and Regional Theatre of Veria), on July 14th and 15th
  • Orestes by Euripides (produced by National Theatre of Northern Greece), on July 20th and 21st

▪ Departure: 18:30 (parking opposite the Handicraft Centre in Athalassa Avenue, Nicosia)
▪ Reservations are obligatory on 7000 2414, until July 10, 2018

 

Please note that the following are not permitted:

• Entry into the theatre after the beginning of the performance.
• Smoking, and the consumption of food and drinks at the theatre (with the exception of water).
• The use of mobile phones during performance.
• Taking photographs, with or without flash, and/or filming part and/or whole of the performance.