Daddy War by Iakovos Kambanellis Directed by: Konstantinos Aspiotis Venue: Lazaristes Monastery - Sokratis Karantinos Stage Οpening: 7 October 2022 Duration: 140min (including interval)
The National Theatre of Northern Greece, within the framework of the 2022 Literary Year of Iakovos Kambanellis, presents the writer’s masterpiece “Daddy War”.
Α few words about the play Based upon historic facts and more specifically on the siege of Rhodes, Iakovos Kambanellis wrote in 1952 the play “Daddy War”. It is a satire of war, influenced by the strain of the cold-war period, which was accompanied by great expectations. “The hope that the war which was over in Greece a few years earlier was the last one, resembled to a childish ingenuousness. The situation was also then vague and threatening. The allies, as if they were infected by the evil against which they had fought, became its winners and successors” the writer noted.
As Iakovos Kambanellis, our great Greek world-class author, was fond of stating at every opportunity, “Daddy War” was a play he wrote and rewrote many times over.
Unfortunately, the conditions of war and wars themselves are many and constant, and Kambanellis lived through some of them himself. After all, as Jean Giraudoux said, “peace is just the period between two wars”. Unfortunately, that we are experiencing another war today (one of many), right here—just down the road—and right now, might well have had the author labouring on his great work once again. In any case, unfortunately (I repeat), the current situation confirms once again how topical and timeless “Daddy War” is, and the play (coupled with the celebration of the centenary of the author’s birth) should provide the occasion to discuss some crucial issues anew. So let us take a look at Man through the prism of this insane comedy—as insane as war itself—and see what he’s willing to do for financial gain. Then let us decide, all together at the end of the day, what we want to show solidarity for and what we should—or should not—be fighting for, for real! I don’t want to say any more in this note, because the production speaks for itself, I think, thanks to the truly wonderful cast who set the stage alight every night; thanks to the amazing creative team, with whom I’ve spent the last few months and who have given of their best; thanks to the excellent technicians who, though the audience may not see them, are so hugely important and ultimately responsible for the end result they do see; and thanks to the administrators and other people behind the scenes who support all our daily labours whose aim it is to entertain you and provide you with food for thought. All of the aforementioned are artists—ALL of them—and formidable masters of their craft. All are dedicated to the theatre, and generous, too. And for all these reasons and many others, in this, my first direction at my alma mater, the theatre where I trained and graduated from, I am the luckiest man alive. I am grateful and thank them from the bottom of my heart. And I invite the audience to support this production for all of them and for another very good reason: I am certain that anyone who sees this play will be entertained, but that they’ll also leave the theatre afterwards richer in a meaningful way! Enjoy yourselves!!!
Konstantinos Aspiotis
Credits Direction & Dramaturgical processing: Konstantinos Aspiotis, Sets-Lighting: Zoi Molyvda Fameli, Costumes: Sofia Tsirigoti, Music: Giorgos Christianakis, Movement: Anastasia Kelesi, Assistant to the director: Natasa Petropoulou, Collaborating director-Taekwondo instructor: Giannis Tsemperlidis, Assistant to the set & costumes designer: Maria Ossa, Assistant to the set designer: Katerina Bousia Alexaki, Production Coordinator: Athanasia Androni Cast: Paris Alexandropoulos (Frixus), Dimitris Diakosavvas (Houseguest), Panagiotis Papaioannou (Mentis), Nikos Kapelios (Pamphilus), Chrysi Bachtsevani (Vutia), Stefanos Pittas (Dimades), Dimitris Kartokis (Harry from Lindos), Chara Yiota (Urania), Panos Kammenos (Callicrates), Thanasis Restas (Pythias), Dimitris Morfakidis (Evelpides), Anna Efthymiou (Lamia), Orestes Paliadelis (Dimitrius), Nikos Milias (Neocles), Alexandros Zafeiriadis (Chiliarch), Spyros Sideris (Lucius Terence Piculus), Anna Louizidi (Cornelia, Lucius’ daughter), Glykeria Psarrou (Poppaea Lucius’ daughter), Alexandros Zafeiriadis (Anonymous arms dealer), Kostis Kapellidis, Konstantinos Chilas (Twins), Christos Grozos, Elektra Kazakou, Nikos Manolas, Vasilis Bogdanos, Stella Papanikolaou, Eliza Charalambogianni (Holidaymakers, Guards, Captives, Rhodians). Despina Dikouli (Peace)
Photos created under that long black cloud