Q. You had the experience of an ancient tragedy production of international standards in the past, as a stage director for the play “The Trojan Women Today” (Les Troyennes aujourdhui), an adaptation of Euripides’ work that was presented and received a warm welcome in Paris. Why do you come back to this again with one of Euripides’ plays?
A. Indeed, back in 1994 I was in the process of trying myself as an artist on an international leve with Euripides’ The Trojan Women, a project that was very successful and won praise by critics, the press and audiences alike. Now, fifteen years later, the political, economic, social and artistic environment has changed dramatically. I believe we are in a critical transitional stage that will bring some historic changes in all walks of our life soon. Values, religions, ideas are questioned more every day, giving way some times to new ideals that are conveyed by new social groups.
Q. This is what many people say, but how is Euripides connected to all these?
A. In his last work that is considered his most enigmatic one, Euripides counts the impacts of the hundred years of the Peloponnesian War and foresees a new era for Greece. By reading The Bacchae, one realizes that fight between the old and the new. Pentheus expresses the old establishment, while Dionysus the new universal ideas that finally prevail.
My choice to stage once again a play by this great Greek tragedian, namely this very play, and present it to an international public, explains my need to raise questions that deal with multi-culturalism and the globalization, to turn people’s attention towards the philosophical dimension of the theatre as it was in the antiquity. I want to make them focus on the humanistic ideas by presenting them in a contemporary way that avoids to create a sensation when it touches man’s modern issues of today.
The key in the direction of The Bacchae is to step on the right dimensions and the classical harmony. Our performances addresses the public in order to make people realize what tragedy is and give them back its true meaning, that is ‘knowing thyself’.
Q. When do you think this new production will be up and running?
A. It will be ready to open its wings and fly out of Greece by June 2008 and we hope that this trip will be long. Already, our touring program includes many places in Europe and America and it would be wonderful to have more stops in many more places even in other continents, like Africa or Asia!
Q. The all-women cast of 'The Bacchae' is certainly an original idea. Why did you choose this?
A. The dynamic and the role of women in contemporary societies all over the world is what made me go for it. Women are no longer seen as inferior than men in a great part of the world. They hold positions of power, they have a pivotal role in the society and the arts –namely theater.
Q. The world tour is designed for the Greek communities abroad or it goes beyond that?
A. We certainly address the Greek Diaspora but this is not our only target group. We have been already involved in discussions with foreign universities where they teach classical arts and ancient Greek and are interested in hosting our theater production for educational purposes.
We have also contacted international festivals of classical theatre that present foreign productions from around the world and we believe that ours ought to be presented for them! We do not do this for profit since our aim is to promote Greek culture and theatre and teach the always contemporary classical tragedies of one of Greece’s greatest dramaturges to as many people living abroad –Greek or foreign- as possible. Our effort also aims to find people and places that are friendly to Greek culture and try to find an opening there for the presentation of more Greek theater in the future.
Q. Can Euripides and his Bacchae convey a message to a public that is foreign to Greek culture?
A. As I said before, ancient Greek tragedies –Euripides’ The Bacchae more than any other- are classical texts that are timeless. The questions they raise are timeless, so they talk for society in the past, the present and the future.
Q. How difficult is for theatre artists to realize their dreams and visions in Greece today?
A. Not that difficult as one would imagine. I truly believe that if someone wants to make their artistic dreams come true and are dedicated and focused, they can do it. There are opportunities out there in sponsoring as well in human resources.
Q. Roys Theater Co. was born a year ago. Why did you found it?
A. Roys was founded in April 2007 after my own initiative in order to stage contemporary and original plays. As you probably know, Roys consists of women only and the reason for this is the same as the one I explained before in your previous question about why I use an all-women cast in The Bacchae. Because I believe that the role of women today is not what it used to be in the past and it is fundamental for the future. She is a wife and mother, a professional, a person who takes powerful positions in the social pyramid, someone who shapes society itself. This is the dynamic that I want to promote through this new theater group.