OEDIPUS TYRANNOS – REVIEW OF 2023 PRODUCTION AT THEATRO DASSOUS IN SALONICA

Reviewed by James Karas

Greece is going through the worst heatwave and fires in its history, but theatrical productions continue across the country. The system of professional companies travelling across the country provides many people away from the large centres with opportunities to see productions that they may not have been able to see otherwise.

The epicenters of theatre may be Epidaurus and Athens, but smaller theaters and cities are not left salivating over fine productions. Oedipus Tyrannos, in a production by the National Theatre of Northern Greece and Theatrical Events Iasmos, directed by Simos Kakalas opened at the Theatro Dassous (Forest Theatre) in Thessaloniki for two performances on July 12 and 13, 2023 and will tour around Greece. It will be performed at Epidaurus on August 25 and 26, 2023.

How does Kakalas deal with one of the most famous and by all descriptions greatest tragedies in world theatre? He brings his own vision, of course. The cast wears specially constructed masks throughout and the putting on and removing the mask serves as a change of character. He makes extensive use of the Chorus of Theban Elders speaking in unison doing away with most of the chanting or the use of the Leader as spokesman.

Yiannis Stankoglou as Oedipus

The performance opens with violinist and composer Fotis Siotas playing some dissonant music, some of the dissonance caused more by the loudspeakers of the theatre than by the musician. We hear him play several times during the performance. Thirteen actors in black suits enter and perform some dance steps. Twelve of them form the Chorus of Theban Elders but the entire cast of the play is also part of the chorus.  

This is the full cast of the play: Yiannis Stankoglou, Marilita Lampropoulou, Yiannis Dalianis, Christos Malakis, Giorgos Amoutzas, Konstantinos Moraitis, Markos Gettos, Panagos Ioakeim, Simos Kakalas, Apostolos Kamitsakis, Augustinos Koumoulos, George Loxas, Pavlos Pavlidis. Note that Kakalas, the director, is one of the members of the Chorus.

Wearing sculpted masks developed by Martha Fokas they will form a part of the Chorus, but individual members remove the mask and play other characters in the play. It is a fascinating approach by Kakalas who has the Chorus speak in unison throughout and chant recitative style some choral passages. The accepted tradition is that the Chorus danced and sang or chanted the odes while the Leader of the Chorus spoke.

The Chorus in Oedipus Tyrannos

Oedipus dominates the opening scene as Yiannis Stankoglou in the name role appears before the Elders. He is confident, concerned, sympathetic, powerful and in control of the situation. Every inch a king. But there is a serious problem. The city has been struck by a plague and the reason for it must be discovered and a remedy found.

A member of the Chorus (Christos Malakis) steps out, removes his mask and becomes the old, wise Teiresias. John Dalianis does the same and assumes the role of Creon. He is Jocasta’s brother and has been sent to the oracle at Delphi to discover the reason for the plague in Thebes. (We meet Creon in Antigone, the next chapter in the story of the Royal House of Thebes as a dictatorial successor to Oedipus).

As the plot unravels, we discover that Oedipus unknowingly murdered his father and then married his mother Jocasta. Marilita Lampropoulou steps away from the Chorus and removes her mask to appear as Jocasta, wearing a skirt. She gives an outstanding performance as a woman who married her husband’s murderer and had two children by him.

Giorgos Amoutzas steps out from the Chorus and becomes a messenger while Konstantinos Moraitis does the same and assumes the role of the Herald who has the heavy task of informing the people of Thebes about Jocasta’s fate and Oedipus’s self-punishment. Outstanding dramatic narratives. 

The set by Yiannis Katranitsas consists of a raised, rectangular platform, open on the side of the audience. It is functional and, one may add, easily transportable. With the number of one or two performances in theatres around Greece, one can’t imagine a much bigger set. He also designed simple black outfits for the cast.

As a footnote I add that the performance was scheduled to begin at 9:00. The line up on top of the hill to get in the theatre was huge. Someone asked for a toilet and was told there was none. For half a euro you could get a styrofoam cushion to sit on the concrete steps. We were finally funneled into the large amphitheater and the performance started not quite on schedule. To add to the annoyance, there was no program available. The theatre was almost full.  

Just to give you a rough idea of the travelling company, the cast will perform in Cyprus, Rhodes, Crete, Kalamata, Patra, Kavala, Andros etc.

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Oedipus Tyrannos by Sophocles, translated by Giorgos Blanas, in a production by Theatrical Events Iasmos and the National Theatre of Northen Greece was performed on July 12 and 13, 2023 at the Theatro Dassous (Forest Theatre) Thessaloniki, Greece and will be performed in numerous venues throughout the summer.  https://www.ntng.gr/

James Karas is the Senior Editor - Culture of The Greek Press.