Performances

Foyer of the Society for Macedonian Studies
MOLLY SWEENEY by Brian Friel
Translation-Direction: Glykeria Kalaitzi

Friel was inspired to write “Molly Sweeney” by the essay “To see and not see” by the neurologist Oliver Sacks and by a real-life incident. Molly, an independent woman, blind from the age of ten months, seems happy living in her darkness—she has friends, a job and a rich emotional life. But her husband Frank is convinced she will only ever be replete when she ceases to be blind. Mr Rice, the surgeon, hopes to boost his flagging medical reputation by performing a successful operation on Molly. We follow Molly before and after her blindness through three parallel monologues. The protagonists’ voices are raw but honest and humorous; it’s as if they’re reading pages from their diaries out loud. Maybe it wasn’t Molly that was blind after all—maybe it was the others who could not see...
 The play was first staged in August 1994 in Dublin, directed by the playwright; two years later, it moved to New York, before returning to London with all manner of distinctions and awards. In Greece, Antonis Antypas staged the work for Athenian theatregoers in 1996 at the Aplo Theatro.

 Brian Friel (1929-2015) was born in Killyclogher in Northern Ireland and educated in Maynooth and Belfast. One of the greatest contemporary playwrights of Great Britain and Ireland, his plays have been staged with great success both at home and abroad. His main works include: “A doubtful paradise” (1959), “Philadelphia, here I come!” (1964), “Lovers” (1967), “The freedom of the city” (1973), “Faith healer” (1979), “Molly Sweeney” (1985), and “Dancing at Lughnasa” (1990). Friel was honoured with three Tony awards in 1992 for his play “Dancing at Lughnasa”, which was later made into a film in 1998.
 
For the first time at the NTNG 
 

Credits
Translation-Direction: Glykeria Kalaitzi, Sets-Costumes: Maria Karadeloglou, Music: Kostis Vozikis, Lighting: Dimitra Aloutzanidou, Director’s Assistant: Anna Karamanidou, Production Coordinator: Marily Ventouri

With: Ioanna Demertzidou (Molly), Giorgos Kolovos (Mr Rice), Vasilis Chatzidimitrakis (Frank)