|Direction: Eleni Boza|
|Wednesday 27 August, 21.00|
|Ancient Theatre of Philippi|
Production: Thessalian Theatre
The Thessalian Theatre presents its new summer production, the classic comedy by William Shakespeare “The Taming of the Shrew”, on Wednesday 27 August at 21:00 at the Ancient Theatre of Philippi, as part of the 68th Philippi Festival, in a translation by Kostas Karthaios and directed by Eleni Boza.
A troupe of travelling performers brings Shakespeare’s romantic comedy to life on stage, in a performance that balances theatre and social reality. The ingenious play-within-a-play structure runs through the work, blurring the lines between stage and life, between the sociopolitical and theatrical roles of the individual, between fiction and reality.
Inspired by this Shakespearean device, director Eleni Boza forms a contemporary “boulouki”: a troupe that travels from place to place, from “homeland to homeland,” carrying the tradition of wandering into the present. A troupe that moves not only through space but through time — arriving in the 21st century to narrate, with humour and theatricality, timeless stories of human relationships.
Through laughter, satire, and subversion, the performance becomes a commentary on the perpetual human struggle to move from an era of constraint towards a world of freedom from societal obligation to personal choice, from imposition to desire.
This do and do it kindly, gentle sirs. It will be pastime passing excellent, If it be husbanded with modesty.
~ William Shakespeare, Induction to “The Taming of the Shrew”
The performance touches on timeless issues, with a focus on the role of women in society.
A few words about the play
Baptista, the father of two daughters – Katherina and Bianca – finds himself up against societal norms and family dynamics. Katherina, the elder, is a strong-willed, headstrong, and independent woman who refuses to submit to the conventions of the time or to the suitors proposed to her.
The twist arrives with the appearance of Petruchio, a young nobleman who undertakes the impossible: to “tame” Katherina’s defiant spirit. What follows is a witty and hilarious battle of characters and ideas, navigating the boundaries between love, power, and freedom, ultimately yielding a true love story.
Director’s note
A troupe of travelling actors journeys through time with a repertoire of Shakespeare’s plays… They land in the twenty-first century and choose, once more, to perform “The Taming of the Shrew”... But could this particular play still speak to our time? Does humankind still think, act, and fall in love in terms of ownership? Or have we finally begun to seek a different way of approaching what truly matters in life? Our actors seem to believe that even now — even in its cracked and battered state — patriarchy still stands strong… And they intend to show us, in the only way they know how… through laughter. Because laughter redeems. It reflects the human condition with innocence and at the same time, scrapes at the soul.
In the gripping brutality of our times, comedy does not offer an outlet for anger, but rather a creative use of it. We identify with the story so that we may continue to question and to act. Even just a little. Even just a little more. With a little more empathy for the Other… the different, the foreign… After all, aren’t we all trying to redefine our identities from the ground up?
And so, our “boulouki”, through song and laughter, will lay bare our darker side in order to exorcise it! And Katerina, the “shrew”, will continue to roam through the centuries, not to be “tamed”, but to remind us that we must try, just a bit harder, to understand the Other, the one who is different, and in doing so, surrender to their unique charm.
Eleni Boza
Author: William Shakespeare
Translation: Kostas Karthaios
Direction: Eleni Boza
Adaptation – Dramaturgy: Eleni Boza, Eirini Gkotsi
Set & Costume Design: Eleni Stroulia\
Original Music: Giorgos Andreou
Lighting Design: Melina Mascha
Assistant Director: Manos Damaskinos
Production Management: Eirini Gotsi
Technical Supervisor: Nikos Georgakis
Set Construction: Nikos Andrianopoulos, Panagiotis Karachalios, Anestis Symeonidis
Costume Construction: Nikoleta Kaisi
Lighting & Sound: Giorgos Gkolantas – Romanos Alemis
Cast: Christos Kordelas, Antonis Kyriakakis, Olympia Boulogeorgou, Dimitris Ontos, Vana Sleiman, Dimitris Tsikouras, Charis Fleouras
|The Taming of the Shrew|
|Wednesday 27 August, 21.00|
|Ancient Theatre of Philippi|
Duration: 110 minutes
Ticket prices: €15 General Admission, €12 Presale, €10 Reduced (Students, Unemployed, Children, People with Disabilities, Large Families, Seniors 65+, Groups over 8 People)
OGA tickets accepted
Online presale:
https://www.more.com/gr-el/tickets/theater/i-striggla-pou-egine-arnaki-1
Presale
Kavala: Municipality of Kavala Visitor Information Centre (former EOT), Central Square, tel: 2510-620566, daily from 10:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 21:00. On the day of the performance, tickets will be available at the Ancient Theatre of Philippi from 19:00.
Krinides: Café “Proskinio”, Ancient Theatre of Philippi, tel. 2510-516090
*No entry is allowed after the start of the performance.
**Once again this year, there will be a special KTEL Kavala bus transporting spectators to and from the Ancient Theatre of Philippi, upon presentation of a valid ticket for the performance. Return fare: €4.00.
Departure from KTEL Kavala: 18:45 – Return after the end of the performance.
Note: Holders of personalised invitations for the 68th Philippi Festival are requested to confirm their attendance by Monday 25/8. Identity checks will be conducted at the theatre entrance on the day of the performance.
For more information, call the Municipal and Regional Theatre of Kavala at 2510 220876 (10.00 – 14.00).
