IKETIDES
THE SUPPLIANTS
The work is inspired by The Suppliants of Aeschylus, the earliest tragedy surviving to our days and the first play in the history of humankind to address the violence against women, the forced migration and the search for asylum, focusing especially on the right of women to decide over their bodies and lives.
In order to escape incestuous marriage and rape by their Egyptian cousins, the 50 daughters of Danaos cross the Mediterranean Sea and arrive in Greece as refugees, seeking asylum and protection. The ancient story of The Suppliants becomes a canvas interweaving old and new stories of hope and courage, violence and despair. The young women were and still are twice exposed – to the harsh conditions of migration, to the danger of exploitation and trafficking, and to the inhuman treatment they sometimes receive from their own families.
In our dance theatre work, we use extracts from Aeschylus’s play, from the poem “Homeland” by the Somali refugee Warsan Shire, from the “Little Diary of Borders” by the Albanian refugee Gazment Kaplani, from the “Dessert Flower” by Waris Diri and narrations from by escapees from Boko Haram and young Yazidi women. The human drama that inspired the tragic poet 2.500 years ago is unfortunately still going on to this day.
.
Concept / Choreography / Direction Andromachi Dimitriadou Lindahl
Dramaturgy Andromachi Dimitriadou Lindahl and Annita Santorineou
Text revision / Coaching in acting Annita Santorineou
Music Giorgos Kolias
Set / Costumes Elena Katsouri
Light design Panagiotis Manousis
Interpretation / co-creation Anna Julia Brendle, Paulina Ioannou, Vicky Kalla, Christiana Larkou, Alexia Nicolaou, Fouli Stylianidou, Loizos Constantinou.
Graphic design Ernst Lindahl
Video trailer Christophoros Larkos
Photography Pavlos Vryonides
.
With the support of the Ministry of Culture and Education of the Republic of Cyprus, Terpsichore 2016 program for the Dance Research and Development.
Presented at the Theatro Dendro,Nicosia and the Rialto Theatre, Limassol 2016 and at the Cyprus Choreography Platform, Rialto Theatre, Limassol 2017.
asomates.com 