Rome, 1599.

 

Count Cenci is the richest man of his time. He is intelligent, irreverent and caustic. A mocker and a cynic. Rumours about him were rife. It is said that his horrors were unheard of and his appetites, despite his age, insatiable.

 

One night, Cenci receives an unexpected guest. Cardinal Camillo, the Pope’s negotiator, arrives at his mansion unannounced. The Count has great difficulty in finding the good intentions in this unexpected visit and the rain that came with it seems in itself a bad omen.

 

Cardinal Camillo advises Cenci that if he wishes his unknown crimes to remain unknown he must relinquish a third of his possessions to the Church.

 

Old Cenci, despite his objections, surprised by the proposal of the Inquisition to silence itself with his gold, decides to capitulate. In the name, however, of this capitulation – and since the gold that he will be surrendering certainly seems plenty enough to warrant a few more crimes – he plans the ineffable: a spree where he will murder his two sons and taint his only daughter’s honour.

 

Disgraced Beatrice is the only person in the whole of Rome who has the courage to take revenge on him for his sins. Power, however, is a force without justice and turns on anyway who fights it.

 

 

 

 

“The Cenci Family” was written in the spring of 2015.  It is based upon the play “The Cenci” by Artaud  and the novella by Stendhal.  The work attempts to present an event from the 16th century in current times; to bridge two eras in a limited space, trapping the protagonists in a virtual display which lends them prestige but robs them of any method of escape.

 

The Cenci (Les Cenci) by Artaud was a milestone in the so called “Theatre of Cruelty” and his work was considered dramatically powerful and of great influence on many levels and movements surrounding the arts of the 20th Century.  The first staging of the play, which took place on the 7th of May 1935, staged by Artaud himself, was not a success as judged by both critics and audiences and ran for only 17 nights.  The role of Count Cenci was interpreted by Artaud himself who, after the financial catastrophe of his venture, decided never to direct for the theatre again.

 

The passions of the Cenci family, the horrific crimes of Count Cenci and the brave and tragic self-sacrifice of 16 year old Beatrice proved to be a great source of inspiration for great poets, thinkers and artists such as Shelley, Stendhal, Moravia, Artaud and Artemisia Gentileschi.  The last descendant of the family, Franco Cenci, is 57 years old and lives in Rome as an artist.  Most of his works are inspired by Beatrice Cenci, to whom he dedicated his largest exhibition at the Acta International Gallery in 2013.

 

 

Concept | Direction | Translation of original texts: Ioli Andreadi

Text: Ioli Andreadi & Aris Asproulis

Set design | Costumes: Dimitra Liakoura

Sound: Erato A. Kremmida 

Lighting: Christina Thanasoula

Construction: Pericles Pravitas & Victoria Darila

Assistant Lighting: Mariangela Seferian

Photographs: Panos Mihail

Poster: Costas Tsakalakis