For 2017-2018 theatre season, the National Theatre of Northern Greece has scheduled a rich and exciting programme of theatre productions, cultural events and educational activities.
THEATRE OF THE SOCIETY FOR MACEDONIAN STUDIES (EMS)
Opening: 26 October 2017
REPEAT
The unfulfilled love of Heathcliff and Catherine will open 2017-2018 theatrical season at the Theatre of the Society for Macedonian Studies. Yannis Kalavrianos adapts and directs Emily Bronte’s Victorian novel, one of the greatest love stories of all time. “Wuthering Heights” come back to grip us with their wild poetic power, their turbulent dark atmosphere and to illuminate the romantic but also violent aspects of the absolute and destructive love of their heroes.
The characters are the members of two families living in isolated houses in the moorlands of Yorkshire. Bronte presents the story of their destruction, bringing to the surface the desperate and passionate depths of human existence, in a manner that reminds of ancient tragedy.
Translated, Adapted & Directed by:
Yannis Kalavrianos
Dramaturg: Antonis Solomou
Assistant Director & Movement Consultant: Alexia Beziki
Sets: Yannis Thavoris
Costumes: Alexandra Boussoulenga, Rania Yfantidou
Music: Angelos Triantafyllou. Lighting: Sakis Birbilis
Second Assistant Director: Giolika Poulopoulou
Assistant Set Designer: Elina Eftaxia
Second Assistant Set Designer: Maria Ossa
Production Co-ordinator: Athanassia Androni.
Cast: Giorgos Glastras (Heathcliff), Aigli Katsiki (Isabella), Giorgos Kolovos (Edgar), Angeliki Noea (Fransis), Orestis Paliadelis (Joseph), Marianthi Pantelopoulou (Catherine), Grigoris Papadopoulos (Hindley), Kostis Rampavilas (Hareton), Areti Seintaridou (Cathy), Efi Stamouli (Nelly), Orestis Chalkias (Linton).
“DA” by Hugh Leonard
Opening: 27 January 2018
“Da” is one of the best-known works by the Irish playwright Hugh Leonard. The play has earned many awards.
A son returns to his hometown to attend his father’s funeral. In numerous flashbacks, he relives important moments from his youth. Humour and deep emotion characterize the play that, through successive leaps in time, deals with the relationship of a son with his parents. Time is the central character of the play. The son sees Da (diminutive of Daddy) at times as a tender and affectionate figure and at times as a real tyrant.
CREDITS:
Directed by: Dimosthenis Papadopoulos
Sets-Costumes: Stavros Litinas
Assistant Director: Stefania Vlachou
Production Co-ordinator: Filothei Eleftheriadou
Cast: Kostas Santas (Da), Nikos Kapelios, Lilian Palantza, Anastasios Papadopoulos Roilos, Dimitris Siakaras, Orestis Chalkias, Maria Chatziioannidou.
Theatrical adaptation: David Eldridge
Translated by: Aliki Danezi Knutsen-Manolis Dounias
Opening: 8 October 2017
REPEAT
The production got great reviews and was sold out, both in Thessaloniki and in Athens where it was presented in the framework of Athens and Epidaurus Festival. This autumn it returns to its base, EMS Foyer.
A family celebration disrupts the superficial peace of the Hansen family household. The family patriarch, the businessman Helge celebrates his 60th birthday, surrounded by relatives and close friends. The buried secrets of the family come to light. Nobody is really shocked, though. The feast goes on as if nothing happened. The well-oiled bourgeois machine still holds.
CREDITS:
Translated by: Aliki Danezi Knutsen, Manolis Dounias
Lyrics: Magdalini Bekri
Directed by: Giannis Paraskevopoulos
Sets-Costumes: Sofia Papadopoulou
Music: Manos Mylonakis
Movement: Alexis Tsiamoglou
Lighting: Stratos Koutrakis
First Assistant Director: Aris Ninikas
Second Assistant Director: Giorgos Chiotis
Assistant Set Designer: Danai Pana
Assistant Lighting Designers: Ifigeneia GianniouAthanasia Lazou, Stamatia Sapatori
Production Co-ordinator: Eva Koumandraki
Cast: Christos Stylianou (Christian), Stefania Zora (Little Girl), Konstantinos Hatzisavas (Michael), Stavroula Arabatzoglou (Mette), Konstantinos Liaros (Lars), Ioanna Pagiataki (Helene), Giolanda Balaoura (Else), Vassilis Spyropoulos (Helge), Clio Danae Othoneou (Pia), Nikos Kapelios (Helmut), Alexandros Tsakiris (Grand-dad), Nefeli Anthopoulou (Paula), Giannis Paraskevopoulos (Kim), Vassilis Papageorgiou (Gbatokai).
“THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT” by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Translated by: Giorgos Depastas
Opening: 20 January 2018
Korina Vasileiadou & Charis Pechlivanidis
In an urban living room in West Germany in the 1970s, six women, belonging to different generations, each play her role in the romantic story of the famous fashion designer Petra Von Kant.
“I guess people are made to need each other but have not learned how to be with each other”. Bearing this in mind, Rainer Werner Fassbinder created “The bitter tears of Petra von Kant”, a play with six female characters. Through their relationships, the play deals with the struggle for coexistence, power games, attachment and the social roles that hide behind the pursuit of love.
Translated by: Giorgos Depastas
Directed by: Korina Vasileiadou, Charis Pechlivanidis
Sets-Costumes-Props: Dido Gkogkou, Eleni Kanakidou, Sonia Samartzidou
Music composition: Minos Matsas
Movement: Alexis Tsiamoglou, Sofia Papanikandrou
Lighting: Nikos Vlasopoulos
Assistant Director: Alexis Tsiamoglou.
Cast: Angeliki Papathemeli (Petra von Kant), Ifigeneia Deligiannidou (Valerie von Kant), Stefania Zora (Gabriele von Kant), Eirini Kyriakou (Karin Thimm), Marianthi Pantelopoulou (Marlene), Revekka Tsiligkaridou (Sidonie von Grasenabb).
“ORPHANS” by Dennis Kelly
Opening: 14 April 2018
Takis Tzamarias
Takis Tzamargias will direct “Orphans” (2009) by the distinguished Irish writer Dennis Kelly. The important director, with an extensive career in the Greek theatre, has directed at the National Theatre in Athens the play “Our Class” by Tadeusz Słobodzianek, a production that was singled out this year and that will be repeated again next year. For his collaboration with the National Theatre of Northern Greece, Takis Tzamargias will direct an equally powerful and contemporary text that raises questions about violence and racism today.
The play explores individual responsibility of each one of us when our existence is, directly or indirectly, attacked in the ethically bankrupt contemporary societies. Is it true that in our attempt to set limits in order to protect ourselves and our relatives from the “others”, we become offenders instead of victims? Does racism and crime transform us into what we fear or hate most? Which loss haunts us more? Which loss is most threatening to our lives? Becoming an orphan or being abandoned by one’s own family?
“RUSSIAN REVOLUTION”
Opening: 25 October 2017
Cezaris Graužinis
A show that attempts to reconstruct the early days of the Russian Revolution through the eyes of a common man who finds himself in the swirl of a revolution aiming to change the world. Today, 100 years after the outbreak of the Revolution, this is a contemporary performance about “faith” by the groundbreaking Lithuanian director, Cezaris Graužinis.
Cast: Iordanis Aivazoglou, Efi Drosou, Giannis Karamfilis, Zoi Lyra, Ifigeneia Makri, Nikolas Maragkopoulos, Ioannis Mastrogiannis, Marios Mevouliotis, Dimitris Miliotis, Alexandros Moukanos, Angelos Nerantzis, Christos Ntaraktsis, Christos Papadimitriou, Timos Papadopoulos, Nikos Rammos, Thanasis Raftopoulos, Anastasios Rodovitis, Rea Samaropoulou, Giannis Tsatsaris, Marina Tselepi, Giannis Tsemperlidis, Miltos Tsiantos, Samson Fytros
Translated by: Minos Volanakis
Opening: 26 January 2018
Yannis Anastasakis
Seventy years after it was written (1948), “Waiting for Godot”, the masterpiece of Samuel Beckett, illuminates post-war Europe’s dead-ends. The Russian Revolution, which created enormous expectations with its outbreak, has now become the prevailing political system and two world wars that resulted in millions of dead and ruins are over. In the middle of the 20th century, Man searches for hope. In a deserted landscape, Vladimir and Estragon speak, remain silent, wait. Godot promised to come. Probably He will give the solution! Obviously, He exists and He is testing their faith. Or, maybe, could it be that He is indifferent to them and has forgotten them? What kind of game is He playing behind their backs? Is the Boy a conspirator? Which century do Pozzo and Lucky −two characters that appear suddenly− come from?
Characterised as “Theatre of the Absurd”, the play could be a clown or circus act, a treatise on human existence, an essay written in the 21st century or a comedy about the tragedy of the human species from its appearance on earth until the present.
Written by Beckett −perhaps the most important 20th century playwright−, “Waiting for Godot” is an extremely contemporary play that will be staged at Vassiliko Theatre just after the impetuous “Russian Revolution” (with the 25-member cast), not to silence our passion but to restore the rhythm of our breath − we are nothing more than a tiny dot in the universe and we are making such a fuss!
Minos Volanakis, with his unsurpassed translation of the play, is our guide and an excellent mediator of the writer’s spirit.
Yannis Anastasakis
Cast: Giorgos Kafkas (Vladimir) and Konstantinos Hatzisavas (Estragon)
LAZARISTES MONASTERY – SOKRATIS KARANTINOS STAGE
“THE BACKYARD OF MIRACLES” by Iakovos Kambanellis
Sets & Costumes by: Ioulia Stavridou
Music: Dionysis Tsaknis
Lyrics: Lina Nikolakopoulou
Opening: 7 October 2016
Kostas Tsianos
14 years after his last collaboration with the National Theatre of Northern Greece, Kostas Tsianos, one of the most important Greek directors, returns to direct a landmark work of modern Greek dramaturgy, the “Courtyard of miracles” by Iakovos Kambanellis. A play that, 60 years after its first presentation, remains timeless.
End of the 1950s. A backyard, in a working-class neighbourhood of Athens, is the meeting point of various characters from different backgrounds: an old refugee from Asia Minor who, loaded with his mattresses, goes to sleep on the rooftop; his wife who, holding a slice of bread in her hand, calls her lost grandson, a widow who sings “Ramona”; a dreamer; a young couple at times hugging and at times quarreling, while planning to move to Australia; the neighbourhood’s beauty who dreams of becoming a movie star; a plumber who will play a decisive part.
This small space contains all Greece. Just before it collapses, a question arises: dead-end or miracle?
Cast: Sofia Kalemkeridou (Anneto), Dimitris Kolovos (Iordanis), Eleftheria Angelitsa, Natasa Daliaka, Thanasis Dislis, Aristotelis Zacharakis, Theodoros Ignatiadis, Dimitris Kalantzis, Maria Karamitri, Lefteris Litharis, Eirini Mourelatou, Charis Papadopoulos, Evi Sarmi.
LAZARISTES MONASTERY – STUDIO THEATRE
Opening: 12 October 2017
REPEAT
Georgia Mavragani
“Gkiak”, the theatrical adaptation of the award-winning collection of short stories by
Dimosthenis Papamarkos, is repeated this October, after a successful run last year and a short stop at the National Theatre in Athens.
War wounds, acts that have remained untold and all our “peaceful” hypocrisy are revealed through the stories told around a table of a family feast.
Adapted & Directed by: Georgia Mavragani
Sets-Costumes: Artemis Flessa
Lighting Design: Tasos Palaioroutas
Music composition & improvisations: Michalis Sionas
Assistant Directors: Vasilis Kalfakis, Smaro Kotsia
Second Assistant Director: Styliani Dalla
Assistant Set Designer: Katerina Stavrou
Production Co-ordinator: Μarleen Verschuuren
Cast: Ioanna Demertzidou, Emmanouil Kontos, Nikolaos Kousoulis, Emmanouela Magkoni, Dimitris Morfakidis, Michalis Sionas, Anni Tsolakidou.
Opening: 13 January 2018
In a mountainous village of Crete at the beginning of the last century. At the age when desire is born. Where the body awakens. A Boy falls in love for the first time. Not with a girl, but with a Woman. A Man and a Mother close the circle of the bodies dancing at the edge of the cliff. Bodies that are forbidden to meet. The sea below awaits them.
Based on Giannis Kondylaki’s “Proti Agapi (First Love)”, Akis Dimou writes a variation of the well-known short story about the holy, desperate First Love. In a poetic language that expresses what the body could not.
Panos Delinikopoulos
VASSILIKO THEATRE
Opening: 12 November 2017
Xenia Kalogeropoulou
An exciting and charming love story about a girl different from all others. A girl who is smart, brave, stubborn, dynamic; a girl who is not afraid to wait and to love. A girl who fights for her beliefs and love. A female captain.
A man with a yellow cap. A cherry tree. A parrot. A crazy crew of men. The adventure begins and it has a name: Eliza!
The part of Eliza is played by Marianna Pouregka.
LAZARISTES MONASTERY – SOKRATIS KARANTINOS STAGE
“EINS AUF DIE FRESSE” by Rainer Hachfeld
Opening: 5 November 2017
Stella Michailidou
The play, which has been a remarkable success in Germany, deals with identity issues, family relationships, the discovery of sexuality, bulling and school conflicts.
The author observes a group of fifteen-year old teenagers and their daily life at school and at home, as they try to find their way in an environment that seems unable to keep track of their needs. Hachfeld speaks with honesty about the loneliness and despair of adolescents, that may even lead to suicide, and about the effort of young people to create deep meaningful friendships with each other.
In this bold play written in 1996, Rainer Hachfeld is addressing adolescents and puts forward the complicated issue of violence at school. The play was staged for the first time in 1996 at the legendary Grips Theater and won the award of best performance for that year in Berlin.
Gianna Tsokou
THEATRE FOR VERY YOUNG CHILDREN
VASSILIKO THEATRE
“LOOK!”
Suitable for kids aged between 8 months and 4 years old
Opening: November 2017
Every Saturday at 12:00
Katerina Karadima
“It wakes up, plays, hides, blows, throws, turns on, turns off, dresses, dances, drinks, feels sleepy, mum, look!”.
Katerina Karadima directs for the NTNG a show for very young children. “Look!” tells the story of how a baby spends an entire day in the house. It discovers sounds and shadows, hides, appears again and plays with everything that looks like a toy. Feathers fly, balls drop, colours change, water flows and a baby grows, little by little, to become a child. Mum is or isn’t around but, whenever something important happens, the baby needs to share with her the surprise and joy of discovery. “Look!” it cries.
Theatre for very young children is a special kind of theatre that is not widespread in Greece. After a four-year period of observing a baby’s actions and reactions, researching what theatre for very young children is and looking for ways to address a baby, Katerina Karadima has prepared a surprise show for kids aged between 8 months and 4 years old but also for theatre lovers who would like to share this unique theatrical experience.
AT VASSILIKO THEATRE & LAZARISTES MONASTERY – STUDIO THEATRE
Directed by: Androniki Christaki
Performances: 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 October 2017
Vassiliko Theatre
Loula Anagnostaki
“ILIOS ME DONTIA” by Yannis Makridakis
Mist Theatre Company
Directed by: Vasilis Vasilakis
Performances: 15, 16 & 17 September 2017
Lazaristes Monastery - Studio Theatre
“CAPTAIN MICHALIS” (FREEDOM AND DEATH) by Nikos Kazantzakis
Mist Theatre Company
Directed by: Vasilis Vasilakis
Performances: 21, 22, 23 & 24 September 2017
Lazaristes Monastery - Studio Theatre
“ORLANDO” by Virginia Woolf
Translated by: Alexandros Issaris
Directed by: Io Voulgaraki
Performances: 28, 29, 30 September & 1 October 2017
Lazaristes Monastery - Studio Theatre
«SGOURAFISTI S’ OLO TON NOUN ECHO TI STORISI SOU»
based on “Erotokritos” by Vitsentzos Kornaros
Texts composed & Performed by: Aspa Kyrimi
Performances: 5,6,7 & 8 October 17
Lazaristes Monastery - Studio Theatre
“PEACEMAKER” by David Holman
Addressed to students of Elementary School
Directed by: Konstantina Matziri
A production with emphasis on acceptance, empathy and friendship based on the play “Peacemaker” by David Holman. David Holman is an English playwright with over seventy plays to his credit. His works were originally intended to be played in schools, but soon appeared throughout the world. RSC (Bolton Octagon and Theatre Centre) commissioned him to present his works all over the world and since l983 he has worked between England and Australia.
Two communities. A wall among them and a ban on communication. An atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust. A meeting that may change attitudes and behaviours.
How do we handle our anger? How do we behave to people who are different from us? How do we express friendship? How can we create a peaceful community at school?
Directed by: Konstantina Matziri
Educational material: Eirini Zoi, Aneta Liaptsi
Addressed to students of the 5th and 6th grade of Elementary School
and of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade of High School
REPEAT
Until 31/12/2017
Based on a globally acclaimed novel, this educational programme is presented in classrooms and will be repeated the new theatre season.
CREDITS:
Adapted & Directed by: Nikos Voudouris
Texts editing: Dimitris A. Kolovos
Αssistant Director: Grigoris Tildis
Sketches: Tilemachos KosmetsasProduction Co-ordinator: Athanasia Androni.
“BAL you…!!”
Addressed to children over 10
Conceived & Directed by: Sofia Paschou
Opening: January 2018
Sofia Paschou
The programme focuses on how teenagers can overcome their fears.
Bal is a balloon that likes to travel. When Bal manages to escape from the hand of the child that was holding it to start a journey all around the world, the child will follow him... with... unforeseen consequences...
COLLABORATION WITH VAFOPOULIO CULTURAL CENTRE
Directed by: Dimitris Tsilinikos
October – December 2017
REPEAT
Directed by: Koldo Vío
October – December 2017
REPEAT
THEATRE WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS
AT THE SOCIETY FOR MACEDONIAN STUDIES AND LAZARISTES MONASTERY
For the
third consecutive year, NTNG is organizing
theatre workshops for children and teenagers. With the help of expert theatre educators and in our theatre environment, children find the opportunity to express themselves, act, experiment and create through theatre games, dramatization, improvisation, role play and techniques of theatre in Education.
The workshops take place every Saturday and Sunday at the Society for Macedonian Studies, Vassiliko Theatre and Lazaristes Monastery.
Workshops Supervisor: Konstantina Matziri
EVENTS AT ALTERNATIVE VENUES
“THE STORY OF V. M. - A MAN WITH A YELLOW BLOUSE”
Concept-Idea-Dramaturgy: Eleana Tsichli - Giorgos Nousis
Directed by: Eleana Tsichli
In alternative venues
Based on Vladimir Magyakovski’s biography, poems, political manifestoes and love letters, a group of six young actors will create on stage a collage of moments of this artist’s life, linked to contemporary issues.
Big Days –daylong free events dedicated to writers, organized by the NTNG– have been established. This theatre season the following Big Days will be held:
- Iakovos Kambanellis
- Rainer Werner Fassbinder
- Minos Volanakis
PUBLIC READINGS ON NEW GREEK PLAYS
GREEK AND INTERNATIONAL TOURS
“I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN YOU” by Leon A. Nar
Directed by: Mihalis Sionas
“SALVATORES DEI” by Nikos Kazantzakis
Directed by: Andreas Koutsourelis
INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
22 - 29 September 2017
The 1st Meeting aims to link the valuable inheritance of Ancient Drama with contemporary artistic creation and to provide motives to young artists to deal with ancient theatre texts. Moreover, new perspectives and correlations with the contemporary social and political reality will emerge. It will take place in Thessaloniki and will involve new experimental theatre groups and individual artists from Greece and the Balkans.
For one week, a series of workshops and lectures will be held and performances will be presented, all this aimed at highlighting modern views and approaches to Ancient Greek Drama and the results of cooperation between artists with diverse cultural backgrounds. Moreover, the meeting will include open presentations and discussions with the public.
The NTNG will participate in the meeting with the presentation of the performance “OEDIPUS THE KING” directed by Giorgos Kolovos.
4/ EU FUNDED PROGRAMMES
Ιnternational Forest Festival
Educational Programmes at schoolclasses in the framework of the Programme “Education & Lifelong Learning”
Implementation of programme in the framework of Research Programmes of the General Secretariat for Research and Technology for Culture.