Helen by Euripides, directed by Aris Michopoulos (With Russian & English subtitles)

Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, the Greek Cultural Center in Moscow and the tourist agent Golden Travel, in cooperation with the Theatre Company THE OTHER SIDE (H ALLI PLEVRA), that conducts studies, research and gives live performances on scene, of ancient drama plays since 2001, present during the summer months July and August, for a few performances, on 4,11, 26 July and on 22 August, Eleni by Euripides directed by Aris Michopoulos, in the theatre of Michael Cacopyanni Foundation with Russian and English surtitles. 

The myth
Eleni in Euripides tragedy is in Egypt for many years already, in the palace of Proteus, after whose death his son and successor Theoklymenos, persists despite her refusal to marry her. In the prologue Eleni who sat suppliant by the grave of Proteus, she now stands up and presents herself to the audience in order to explain the reason of her presence in Egypt and her recourse at the Proteus Grave. She recounts her origin by saying that she is Tyndareo’s and Lyda’s daughter, but without excluding the case to be Zeus’ daughter, who is rumoured to have approached amorously her mother in the form of a swan.

So her calamities start from the victory of Venus during the judgment of beauty, when Venus in order to ensure her election from Paris she promised as his reward his marriage to Eleni. But Hera angry about her defeat, she creates a model (idol) made of cloud which Paris will take with him, thinking he kidnaps Eleni. Zeus sent Eleni in Egypt by Hermes to live in Proteus palace, while waiting for her husband Menelaus to return from war.

Historical context
Eleni by Eyripides was written in 412 BC and presented for the first time in the same period, namely when the Sicilian expedition had just ended with the rout of the Athenian fleet. At the same time the sophist movement was growing, that had begun to question traditional values and caused by the criticizing of its representatives a crisis in democracy and disrespect phenomena.

The production’s members highlight: Perhaps, the element that fascinates the most, as far as this particular play is concerned, is the transformation. It seems, as if the myth stares itself in the mirror and sees its own self, smiling, maybe ironically or even with a slight bitterness. Euripides takes the story that we all have been taught firstly, before any other text, in the high school books, that of the Helen’s rape, and, without changing anything to the original subject, perverts the image on the mirror, in a poetic and allusive way.

Name spreads all over, not the body (Helen line 588). And if the name has been colored with the most nigrescent colors, as the cause of a bloody war, the object of lust, the incarnation of the ultimate beauty has flew away like a cloud to the country of Nile. There settles also the poet the action of his tragedy, Helen accompanied by her attendant ladies, the meeting as well as the reunion with Menelaus, Theone who holds in her hands the solution of the drama, Theoklymenos who desires to have the lady who is said that caused so much pain with her beauty to Greeks as well as Trojans.

However. The nightingales do not let you fall asleep at Platres. Because, the reasons may be presented differently, the body to be replaced by the image. However the facts linger as well as their effects. Furthermore their eternal value. In no war dead people return back home. Moreover people can never be taught by death how hopeless chasing of shadows is, having as conveyance violence and egoism. It is not just for the instauration of the heroine’s fame and name. However, it is all about the sarcasm of those who abused her name in order to give an excuse to their obsession of chasing “empty shirts” so as to fulfill individual longings.

Mirrors, shadows and images… Materials for the performance, all these that someone cannot touch, all these, which are mirrors and illusions and not the objects themselves. The aim is to unveil finally those which can touch us more, which make us feel fear or ashamed. The mirror which shows us not the image, but our real self.

The performances are organized for groups as well [60 persons minimum] following agreement – arrangement, for different dates & times, regarding the availability of the theatre company and the theatre hall.

Information – Bookings: Stamatia Antonatou 697 4926755, standonatou@yahoo.gr