Erotokritos Directed by: Argyro Chioti Youth Stage Venue: Lazaristes Monastery - Sokratis Karantinos Stage Opening: 21 November 2023 Duration: 90 min (no interval)
“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.
Credits 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)
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