Reviewed by
James Karas
The Athens-based Theatro Technis Karolos Koun
has staged a striking production of Euripides’ classic tragedy for the Athens
and Epidaurus Festival. The production is being shown in a number of cities
around Greece in addition to Epidaurus and I saw it in the open air Roman
Theatro Dassous in Thessaloniki.
Marianna Calbari puts her own stamp on the play
as director, dramaturge, adapter (the last two with Elena Triantafillopoulou) and
actor and the end result is a riveting production. Calbari has added a subtitle
calling the play Medea – The Barbarity of Love and has added text
and poetry from other classical writers including Plato (Aristophanes’ speech
in the Symposium), Theocritus and
Sappho.
Her most brilliant stroke is to us give us two
Medeas. The first Medea (Maria Nafpliotou), the wife of Jason, lives in Corinth
and is the character we know from Euripides. Calbari adds another Medea which
she calls the Barbarian (Alexandra Kazazou) and she is the “original” woman
from Colchis, the barbaric city on the
eastern shore of the Black Sea,
the end of the world
The Barbarian Medea is a wildly sexual and
passionate women. We see her rolling on a bed in the throes of ecstasy. This
woman sacrificed everything, including her father, out of love for Jason, the
hero who went to Colchis to get The Golden Fleece. The Barbarian has magical powers and whether in Colchis or
Corinth she is a woman to be reckoned with.
Alexandros Mylonas and Maria Nafpliotou in Madea
The Corinth Medea appears more civilized but
she is a woman in agony. After all she did for Jason and the immense love and
passion that she feels for him, he leaves her and the children for another woman
– the innocent Glauce (Theodora Tzimou), the daughter of King Creon (Alexandros
Mylonas). Jason makes a venal and cold-blooded decision in order to get the
crown. He serves mealy-mouthed homilies that many husbands have used over the
millennia: I still love you and I have to do this. I will give you money and look
after you and the children. He goes as far as to say that he is betraying her
for her own good!
Haris Fragoulis is a fine actor (and a lousy
trumpet player) and his portrayal of Jason as a shallow, selfish and mercenary
person is spot on. Interestingly, he considers Medea a monster and states that
no Greek woman is like that. The scene between him and Medea where they hurl abuse
and pleading is a point of extraordinary drama.
Medea becomes an implacable fury of hatred and
vengeance leading to the inevitable destruction. Nafpliotou can display
passion, hatred, grief, connivance and murderous fury with superb ability.
Kazazou’s role as the alter ego of Corinth Medea is more limited but she gives
a superlative performance as a woman of passion.
Calbari takes on the role of Medea’s Nurse and
speaks some of Medea’s lines. She chants as well and generally gives a very
dramatic performance. Mylonas as Creon in a purple robe is imperious and
commanding.
Calbari makes judicious and intelligent use of the
chorus with original music by Panagiotis Kalantzopoulos. Movement by Mariza
Tsinga and chants used sparingly but very effectively are done exceptionally
well avoiding the pitfalls of the use of the chorus that can mar a production.
The set designed by Constantinos Zamanis
presents the central image of a large bed on a raised, revolving platform. It
is an appropriate symbol of sexual desire and betrayal that starts the entire
series of events from the successful theft of The Golden Fleece to the excruciating
death of Glauce. The modern costumes do not detract from the drama and the
large stage is used effectively.
In short, this is a five star production starting
from Calbari’s amazing dramaturgy and adaption, to her superb directing of a
talented cast.
No comments:
Post a Comment