Russian Revolution – Ρωσικη Επανασταση

Το αύριο και το αύριο και το αύριο

After his summer work on Aeschilus’ Seven Against Thebes, Lithuanian director Cezaris Graužinis comes back to Greece with another piece on humanity’s second favourite past-time after war: revolution. With the help of a substantial cast (23 actors), he traces the development of the famous events of 1917-18 from the point of view of a simple soldier, Ivan Ivanov, who goes to visit his sister while on leave from the front and literally stumbles upon what would later turn into the so-called Great Socialist Russian Revolution.

As with his previous work, Graužinis focuses yet again on the human side of events, and if we once witnessed Eteocles’ suicidal attempt to free his own people from the chains of power in the hands of one, now we walk the cold, barren streets of Russia together with an unsuspecting budding Bolshevik whom, just like any single one of us, lives his present unaware of History’s plans. «By creating the performance on the theme of the Great Socialist Russian Revolution, we are taking a challenge to consider and reconsider the most beautiful (and the rarest, nowadays) qualities of the human existence – the enthusiasm and the belief in a possibility of achieving a better social order in the absurd world of today. With all the bittersweet irony, which, possibly, will lead us towards the tragic level of perception of the state of things».

Following steadfastly the wake of his artistic production, the director replays his trump card, that is, irony (perhaps too much of it) in the face of tragedy, and leaves aside any political stance on the debatable theme at hand. There is no judgement, neither of the events nor of its players, in this Russian Revolution, but only a tender, motherly indulgence towards all the things that are human, passionate and thus fallible. We see how easy it is to get sucked into an ideology when a whole city of glistening eyes looks at you with devotion to the cause instilled in them, and also how hard it is to spurn the tempting self-subjugation to a leader, be it Lenin, Stalin or the Tsar. And despite the publicised lack of educational purposes, the play cannot avoid highlighting how the unblemished hands of Vladimir Il’ič Ul’janov have manipulated those of his people, drenching the soil of his Mother Russia for the sake of one, single, terrible word: «To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,/Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,/To the last syllable of recorded time;/And all our yesterdays have lighted fools/The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!/Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player/That struts and frets his hour upon the stage/And then is heard no more. It is a tale/Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury/Signifying nothing».

The show is still playing
Royal Theatre of Thessaloniki
White Tower Square – Thessaloniki
from 25 October to 14 December 2017
Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 21.00
Wednesdays at 18.00
Sundays at 19.00

The 52^nd Dimitria Festival (parallel events) presents
Russian Revolution – Ρώσικη Επανάσταση
by Cezaris Graužinis

translation Alexandra Ioannidou
dramaturgy-direction Cezaris Graužinis
cast Iordanis Aivazoglou, Efi Drosou, Giannis Karamfilis, Zoi Lyra, Ifigeneia Makri, Nikolas Maragkopoulos, Ioannis Mastrogiannis, Marios Mevouliotis, Dimitris Miliotis, Alexandros Moukanos, Angelos Nerantzis, Christos Ntaraktsis, Christos Papadimitriou, Timos Papadopoulos, Nikos Rammos, Thanasis Raftopoulos, Anastasios Rodovitis, Rea Samaropoulou, Giannis Tsatsaris, Marina Tselepi, Giannis Tsemperlidis, Miltos Tsiantos, Samson Fytros
sets-costumes Vytaoutas Narbutas
music Martynas Bialobzeskis
choreography-movement Edi Lame
lighting Alekos Υianaros
music instruction Panagiotis Barlas
assistant director Athina Samartzidou
assistant sets & costumes designer Maria Mylona
production photography Tasos Thomoglou
production co-ordinator Athanasia Androni