new - News

“12 ANGRY MEN”
by Reginald Rose

Theatre of the Society for Macedonian Studies
2 Ethnikis Amynis Str.

14– 24  April 2016

2 YEARS OF SUCCESS

Face to face with their consciousness

 

Every vote is a battle…
… that has to be won with just one weapon, the truth!
What will be their verdict? At what “price” for each one of them 12?
 
“12 Angry Men”, the successful play which has received excellent reviews, 2 public awards and the 34th Corfu award for direction, will be hosted by the National Theatre of Northern Greece in Thessaloniki: eleven unique performances in the Theatre of the Society for Macedonian Studies, from 14 to 24 April 2016.  
 
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE GREEK CHAMBER OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND THE UNESCO Club of the Department of Piraeus and Islands.
 
New York, 1957. A sixteen year old foreigner, a boy, is charged with murder.  12 jurors have to decide whether the death penalty is to be imposed. The timeless prejudices of our society are reflected in this psychographic study of those 12 characters, unveiled before us in the most violent way.
 
The spectators are invited to watch through the “keyhole” at the jury room,  as one of the most dissenting and influential cases of all times takes place and the jurors opinions sometimes coincide and sometimes clash.
 
The theatre is turned into a court room and the spectators change parts with the jurors!
 

 

The plot
New York, 1957. A sixteen year old foreigner, a boy, is charged with murder.  12 jurors have to decide whether the death penalty is to be imposed. The timeless prejudices of our society are reflected in this psychographic study of the 12 characters, unveiled before us in the most violent way. “12 angry men” locked up in a room, are called upon to decide unanimously on the life or death of a young man, and have to assume the burden and responsibility of their verdict.
 
12 ANGRY MEN: the film
The 1954 American teleplay became a film in 1957, with Sidney Lumet making his cinema debute and starring Henry Fonda. It won the Golden Bear Award and various other awards, and was nominated for Academy Awards in three categories (including best director). This is the second best trial film of all times and among the 50 best films of the century. Various remakes of the film were released in many countries throughout the world. The last one was Nikita Mikhalkov’s “12”, which is based on the initial film.
 
Director’s note
The idea to present this play, occurred to me two years ago, when I watched Sidney Lumet’s “12 angry men”. The site www.tocinemadaki.gr, a site about movies, had posted a review on “the Μan from Earth”, my previous work as a film director; there it was said that  they wished they could watch “12 angry men” on the Greek stage as well. A friend had already told me about this film – in fact he’d ask me to adapt it for the stage – so, when I read about that, I was convinced that I had to watch it. I am so glad I was encouraged; it was so touching that I thought I’d love to watch a theatre version myself. 12 actors a hair’s distance away from the spectator, the positive and negative peaks of a cardiogram with a heart rate of more than 120 beats per minute, that’s what I wanted to see.    
This theatrical version is set at the same time as the initial film. I think it is thrilling when theatre drifts away from the present in a journey to another time and place. This journey to the past, distant as it may be from the present, shows us that people essentially don’t change. Especially when it comes to racism, similar views may happen to be expressed even now as we speak, and this is very annoying. And racism is not only a matter of colour; it’s also a matter of society, religion, and gender, whatever may be regarded as a difference. That is, almost everything.
In today’s worldwide reality, we see how fascist manifestos come out of nowhere, obviously because they weren’t hidden so deep under the surface. Even now in European countries such as ours there are discussions about restoring the death penalty. Beliefs and opinions that were expressed in this 1957 play are transposed in the present times and nothing sounds “strange”. People still choose to condemn their neighbour unthinkingly, literally or metaphorically at the first chance they get. This is what makes the play up-to-date and timeless at the same time, showing that racism still resists liberal ideology. This kind of ideology luckily exists, and requires that we defend it; of course there are people that fight for truth, love and forgiveness with every inch of their soul. 
 

 

Performance info
Playwright: Reginald Rose
Translation: Konstantina Nikolaidi
Director: Konstantina Nikolaidi
Dramaturgical Advising: Konstantina Nikolaidi & Notis Paraskevopoulos
Assistant Director: Magdalini Palioura
Assistant Director: Katerina Konstantellou
Sets: David Negrin
Costumes: Kiki Miliou
Costume assistant: Danai Anezaki
Lighting: Alexandros Alexandrou
Movement: Christina Fotinaki
Music: Giorgos Perou
Sound design: Nikos Tsekos
Promo video: Konstantina Nikolaidi
Graphic design consultant: Spyros Dapergolas

The 12 jurors are:
Christodoulos Stylianou, Tryfon Karatzas, Thanasis Kourlampas, Giorgos Giannopoulos, Periklis Lianos, Vasilis Palaiologos, Charis Mavroudis, Manolis Ionas, Apollon Bollas, Alexandros Perros, Konstantinos Moutaftsis,  Avgoustinos Koumoulos
With the participation of Alexis Stavrianos
 
Nena Menti lends her voice

Production: A PRIORI

WITH THE KIND SUPPORT OF THE CONSULATE OF SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES.

Performances
Thursday 14/04 at 21.00
Friday 15/04 at 21:00
Saturday 16/04 at 18:00 and 21:00
Sunday 17/04 at 19:00
Wednesday 20/04 at 19:00
Thursday 21/04 at 21.00
Friday 22/04 at 21:00
Saturday 23/04 at 18:00 and 21:00
Sunday 24/04 at 19:00

Duration: 90’

Tickets:
15 € (general admission), 12 € (reduced - students, vulnerable groups, unemployed, over 65)

Ticket Sales
Theatre of the Society for Macedonian Studies box office
Phone reservations: 2315 200200
and  viva.gr

Read the reviews
 
Watch the trailer

Official site
 
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK “ODYSSEAS” AND “ELIA & LEMONI” RESTAURANTS FOR THE SPONSORSHIP.