Cyprus Theatre Organisation has announced two major productions this summer; Esmé, by Peresiades and 'Agamemnon' by Aeschylus.
Set in a village in the province of Kalavryta, near the monastery of Agia Lavra, 'Esme' tells the story of two youths, Drosos and Esme, who take a vow of love. But, faced with the strong resistance of their families (Drossos is Greek and Esme is Turkish), their love is tested to the limits.
Crafted in the poetic fifteen-syllable verse, this contemporary revival from Director Marina Vronti highlights the power of true love against all obstacles.
Linked to the 200th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence, the show will tour in Cyprus this summer. It has also been invited to be staged in Athens as part of the Athens-Epidavros Festival on 23 and 24 July.
Direction: Marina Vronti
Set-Costume design: Giorgos Giannou
Music: Kostas Kakoyiannis
Lyrics: Pambos Kouzalis
Movement: Chloe Melidou
Lighting Design: Stavros Tartaris
Assistant to the Director: Mirto Kouyiali
Cast (in alphabetical order): Prokopis Agathokleous, Dimitris Antoniou, Grigoris Georgiou, Athina Moustaka, Erica Begeti, Christina Papadopoulou, Christina Pavlidou, Andreas Tsouris, Vasilis Charalambous
Musicians: Veronica Aloneftou, Kostas Kakoyiannis, Jonathan Betito, Charalambos Panteli
Aeschylus’ Agamemnon (458 BCE), THOC’s first ever staged production in 1971, is revived this summer as part of the celebrations marking the organisation’s 50th anniversary. Directed by Lea Maleni, the tragedy is the first drama of the Oresteia, the only surviving trilogy by Aeschylus. Deeply political at its core, Agamemnon outlines the traces inscribed on man's fate by a regime where violence begets violence.
The stage is set in front of the palace of the Atrides, in Argos, where King Agamemnon returns after the end of the Trojan War, with Cassandra, King Priam’s daughter, as a trophy by his side. Clytemnestra will initially welcome him as befits a king, while playing hostess to the foreign woman. Behind this façade lurks a well-devised plan of revenge that culminates when Clytemnestra murders Agamemnon, abetted by her lover, Aegisthus.
The Aeschylian trilogy opens with a heinous act, raising poignant and apt questions of justice and democracy. Lea Maleni probes into the essence of the play with an accomplished team of collaborators at her side, as she brings to life a world of powers and opposing forces that has never given up the quest for equilibrium.
The performances begin on 16 July 2021 and continue on tour.
Translation: Nikoletta Frintzila
Direction: Lea Maleni
Set design: Harris Kafkarides,
Costume design: Sosse Eskidjian
Music: Dimitris Zavros
Choreography-Movement: Fotis Nikolaou
Lighting design: Georgios Koukoumas
Assistant Director: Eleni Anastasiou
Assistant Set-Costume Designer: Annie Vasiliou
Cast: Andreas Vasileiou, Markos Gettos, Thanasis Georgiou, Anna Yiagiozi, Iliana Kakkoura, Stelios Kallistratis, Vasiliki Kypraiou, Christina Constantinou, Aurora Marion, Yiannis Minos, Vasilis Michael, Manolis Michaelides, Fotis Nikolaou, Onisiforos Onisiforou, Panagiota Papageorgiou, Andreas Papamichalopoulos, Eleni Sidera, Niovi Charalambous, Harry Charalambous, Marilia Charidemou, Aggelos Hadjimichael.
