TROJAN WOMEN by Euripides

THEATRO ENA, Cyprus

Sunday, July 1
Paphos Ancient Odeon
[official opening]
Tuesday, July 3
Curium Ancient Theatre
Thursday, July 5
“Skali” Amphitheatre, Aglantzia

Performances start at:
21:00
Please arrive at the theatre before 20:45

With the emblematic, diachronic and one of the most important plays of Euripides, Trojan Women, produced by Theatro Ena, opens this year’s edition of the “International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama”. At the Achaeans’ camp outside the sacked city of Troy, the captured Trojan women and their queen, Hecuba, lament over their tribulations. Any members of the royal family left alive will become the property of the Achaeans, while Hecuba’s grandson, the young Astyanax, has been thrown from the walls, a victim of the conquerors΄ cruelty. As Troy is destroyed in flames, the desperate women are taken to the ships that will carry them across the Aegean to become slaves in the homes of the Achaeans victors. Human pain gets universal dimensions. The lamentation of women, mothers, spouses, sisters, human and revealing once again points to the “works” of human nature. A story that is (constantly) repeated …

With English surtitles

Adaptation/Direction:
Andreas Christodoulides
Music:
Evagoras Karageorgis
Set/Costume design:
Lakis Yenethlis
Choreography/Movement:
George Demopoulos
Lighting design:
Andreas Christodoulides
Assistant to the director:
George Demopoulos

Cast:

Hecuba:
Erica Begeti
Cassandra:
Kristie Papadopoulou
Andromache:
Elena Hadjiafxenti
Helen:
Irene Salata-Georgiou
Menelaus:
Sotiris Mestanas
Talthybius:
Manolis Michaelides
Astyanax:
Vasilis Charalambous

Chrorus

Efi Charalambous,
Stalo Stylianou,
Vasiliki Andreou,
Maria Pogiatzi,
Marilia Charidimou,
Eleni Oroklinioti,
Maria Andreou

Soldiers

Charis Hadjichristoforou,
Stelios Stylianou,
Polis Hadjicosta,
Minas Kalaitzis

Director’s note

Trojan Women, is the most anti-war play written by Euripides, emphasizing the consequences of the war especially on women and children. A versatile and profoundly political play, contemporary, against the violence of war, is transferred on stage into a modern reading, in the world of ‘today’, always based on Euripides’ words.

In the Trojan Women, Euripides depicts the empty victory of the Greeks as well as the vanity and vainness of war. Even the noble Athenians could descend in warfare (the play was written shortly after the Athenians had conquered and destroyed the island of Melos because its people wished to remain neutral in the Peloponnesian War) and show their brutality. The tragic irony of the play is that Hecuba and the other Trojan women retain a courage and a dignity which the Greek conquerors have lost. The only heroism that Euripides deals with is that of the widows and mothers of the defeated Trojans.

Andreas Christodoulides

Theatro Ena

“Theatro ENA” is celebrating this year its 30th anniversary of theatrical productions. Funded on October 1987 with minimal means, through great difficulties and hard work “Theatro ENA” is today amongst the most innovating theatres in Cyprus. By producing experimental and avant garde work, as well as classical plays with experimental approach and emphasizing the technical aspect of theatre, it has changed the theatre scene in Cyprus.

“Theatro ENA” has been supporting Cypriot playwrights by staging local plays and organizing stage readings. At the beginning, it functioned with one main stage, and then the “other space” was introduced for work that is more experimental. In addition, the cinema theatre Constantia followed, as an open-air theatre used for many activities such as film days etc. Then at the Castle area in Limassol, the B’ Municipal Market was transformed into a theatre, while more recently the Foyer is used as the new entrance to “Theatro ENA” at Nicosia.

“Theatro ENA” aims to continue, improving its quality, offering their audiences entertainment, as well as knowledge and culture.