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Ancient Theater of Epidaurus - Phoenissae by Euripides, July 30th - August 1st 2021

Φοίνισσες Ευριπίδη από Εθνικό Θέατρο 2021, Εθνικό Θέατρο Γιάννη Μόσχου Φοίνισσες Επίδαυρος 2021, National Theatre of Greece Yannis Moschos Phoenissae in Epidaurus 2021, Phoenissae of Euripides by the National Theater of Greece 2021

"Phoenissae", referring to The Phoenician Women, has been a staple of the National Theatre of Greece repertoire, with several performances directed by Alexis Minotis, the last being staged in 1988. This year 2021, Euripides’ play finds its way back to Epidaurus in a thoroughly modern production, featuring a splendid cast under the helm of director Yannis Moschos.

About fifty years after Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes, Euripides dramatises the myth of the Theban cycle, which relates to the tragic events of the House of the Labdacids and the struggle to rule Thebes, creating a multi-faceted family and political drama focussing on the values of justice, equality and fairness.

Euripides provides his own, subversive version of the Labdakides’ myth. The play is set on the day that Polynices has surrounded Thebes with an army, demanding that his brother Eteocles keep his part of the bargain: they had agreed to take turns ruling the city. Their mother, Jocasta, desperately tries to convince them to make amends with each other, surrounded by other characters such as Antigone, Creon, Menoeceus, Teiresias and the blind Oedipus, victims and victimisers of an imminent catastrophic war. Can Oedipus’ sons escape their father’s curse? Do people truly want to avoid civil war and break out of the vicious cycle of violence?

Φοίνισσες Ευριπίδη από Εθνικό Θέατρο 2021, Εθνικό Θέατρο Γιάννη Μόσχου Φοίνισσες Επίδαυρος 2021, National Theatre of Greece Yannis Moschos Phoenissae in Epidaurus 2021, Phoenissae of Euripides by the National Theater of Greece 2021

Performance dates
Friday, July 30th 2021
Saturday, July 31st 2021
Sunday, August 1st 2021

Arrival time | Starting time
19:30 | 21:00

Venue
Epidaurus - The famous ancient Τheater

Contributors 
Translated by Nikiforos Papandreou
Directing - Dramaturgical adaptation Yannis Moschos
Choreography  Amalia Bennet
Music Thodoris Economou
Set design Tina Tzoka
Costume design Ioanna Tsami
Lighting design Lefteris Pavlopoulos
Video design Apostolis Koutsianikoulis
Collaborator to the choreographer Antigone Gyra
Scientific advisor Eleni Papazoglou
Musical coaching Melina Paionidou
Assistant to the director Evi Nakou
Second assistant to the director Elena Antonopoulou
Assistant to the set designer Eva Papadouraki
Hairstyling - Wigs Despina Pastri
Make-up Olga Faleichyk
Dramaturgy Vivi Spathoula

Cast (in alphabetical order)
Kostas Berikopoulos (Tutor), Christos Chatzipanagiotis (Creon), Vasilis Darmas (Menoeceus), Giorgos Glastras (Messenger), Maria Katsiadaki (Jocasta), Loukia Michalopoulou (Antigone), Cecile Mikroutsikou (Sphinx), Alexandros Mylonas (Tiresias), Dimitris Papanikolaou (Oedipus), Thanos Tokakis (Polynices), Argyris Xafis (Eteocles)

Chorus 
Nefeli Maistrali, Zoe Mylona, Elpida Nikolaou, Stavria Nikolaou, Katerina Papandreou, Katerina Patsiani, Styliani Psaroudaki, Elina Rizou, Mariam Rukhadze, Thaleia Stamatelou

Φοίνισσες Ευριπίδη από Εθνικό Θέατρο 2021, Εθνικό Θέατρο Γιάννη Μόσχου Φοίνισσες Επίδαυρος 2021, National Theatre of Greece Yannis Moschos Phoenissae in Epidaurus 2021, Phoenissae of Euripides by the National Theater of Greece 2021
Φοίνισσες Ευριπίδη από Εθνικό Θέατρο 2021, Εθνικό Θέατρο Γιάννη Μόσχου Φοίνισσες Επίδαυρος 2021, National Theatre of Greece Yannis Moschos Phoenissae in Epidaurus 2021, Phoenissae of Euripides by the National Theater of Greece 2021

Tips
All performances are played with Greek and English surtitles. 
For any inconvenience and delay to be avoided, due to the current Covid-19 health measures, you are advised to arrive 90 minutes before the performance's starting time.
The theater's car park has plenty of spaces for cars and coaches.
Audience buses to and from the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus are available.

Ticketing - Box Office info
Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus - box office operates Monday to Thursday 10:00-14:00 and on performance days (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays) 10:30-21:00.
Τ. +30 210-7234567 (Monday to Sunday 09:00-21:00). Purchase online: aefestival.gr
E-mail: tickets@greekfestival.gr
More information here

Not permitted
Entry into the theatre after the start of a performance, except during an interval.
The attendance of children under the age of six.
Smoking, and the consumption of food and drink inside the theater.
The use of mobile phones during performances.
Entry into the theater in high heels.
Photography, with or without flash, and sound or video recording during a performance.
The tipping of staff.

Did you know that?
Phoenissae was first staged at the City Dionysia festival between 411 and 408 BCE. It forms a trilogy with the tragedies Hypsipyle and Antiope.
In the twentieth century, Phoenissae was a constant in the National Theatre of Greece’s repertoire. It was last performed at the Athens and Epidaurus Festival by the NTG in 1988, having previously been staged in 1960, 1965 and 1978 (directed by Alexis Minotis on each occasion).
The famous ancient Τheater of Epidaurus is located within the archaeological site of the Sanctuary of Asklepios, in the Argolis prefecture of Peloponnese. It is a half-hour drive from Nafplio and approximately two hours from Athens.
For intercity bus services to the Ancient Theater especially for the performances, see timetables and tickets Here.

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