“The Shadow of the Idol” by Gregory Chaliakopoulos with Vassilis Papadimitriou and Direction by Marika Thomadaki
“The Shadow of the Idol” is a newly written monologue by Gregory Chaliakopoulos that was staged for the first time, after its successful performances given in “Theatre of the Day” and “En Athines Theater”, continues its third round of performances for the month of June, at Michael Cacoyannis Foundation.
A young actor is trying to find the courage to appear on the stage at the first premier of his life, where he plays the life of Nicholas Dragoumis, the unknown Greek painter who lived in France and was named “Van Gogh of Greece”. The conflict is inevitable as the tug of war between confirmation and insecurity incites strong feelings and asks questions through a deeply inner process.
The eldest Nicholas Dragoumis was the most sensitive and vulnerable offspring of Prime Ministers Stefanos Dragoumis family, a family with eleven children, among which the highly-known Ion, Natalia, Philip and others. Nicholas though, was the one who remained in obscurity. His artistic appeal, coupled with the pressure from his father to study at the Law School against Nicholas will, burdened the already troubled soul and accelerate his confinement in various mental institutions.
The establishment of strict Dragoumi family, wanted him to pursue a diplomat’s career, but he, bohemian type, subversive and uncompromising, had a passion for painting. He died in Dromokaiteio Mental Hospital, with paranoia accompanying his divine talent, after experiencing his confinement in several European psychiatric hospitals. He was a representative of the Greek Kilidism movement (pointillism).
