THEATRE
Premiere in January 2023 at National Theatre of Nothern Greece
“Erotokritos” is a self-contained poetic universe of incredible richness and narrative power. The performance dives freely into its world, picking out sections that shine a light on timely issues relating to the limits of the individual will when it comes to transcending social norms. Retaining Kornaros’ exhilarating narrative, the production focuses on Aretousa, a woman who does not surrender herself passively to the “turnings of the cycle”, but asserts her right to self-determination with courage, passion and hope.
The performance employs a code familiar in contemporary theatre which emphasizes the power of narrative and, above all, of music: everything is born of and evolves through music, the music that is echoed constantly by the words and which is simultaneously a crucial medium for driving the plot. Music is the raw material of the performance, which draws on the musicality of speech and the human body to create a holistic embracing experience aimed, before all else, at the senses.
Concept – Direction: Argyro Chioti | Dramaturgical processing – Adaptation: Efthymis Theou | Poem: Rahil Fallahfar | Set: Eva Manidaki | Costumes: Angelos Mentis | Music: Lola Totsiou | Movement: Sofia Papanikandrou, Dimitris Sotiriou | Lighting: Tasos Palaioroutas | Musical coaching: Chrysa Toumanidou | Assistant to the director: Viki Kitsiou | Assistant to the set and costume designers: Elli Nalmpanti | Artistic associate: Georgina Chryskioti | Production coordinator: Marily Ventouri
Cast: Theodora Loukas (Poet – Frosyni), Giannis Charisis (Poet – Pezostratos), Chara Giota, Ioanna Demertzidou, Aigli Katsiki, Anna Kopaka, (Aretousa – davul), Kostis Kapellidis (Erotokritos – electric bass, percussion), Ioannis Bastas (Erotokritos – saxophone), Konstantinos Cheilas (Erotokritos – piano), Panagiotis Papaioannou (King) | Musicians on stage: Natalia Giannaki (piano), Aliki Marda (cello)
Photos: that long black cloud