By Maria Gregoriou
As always THOC (Cyprus Theatre Organisation) promises a winter of content when it comes to bringing great stories to the stage.
And as of tomorrow the theatre organisaton’s new building will stage a performance of Loxandra, a production based on the book by Maria Iordanidou.
If you happened to go to a public school here – or if you have children who are now attending – then you will surely know the story that Iordanidou wrote in her sixties.
The story is the writer’s tribute to her grandmother. Loxandra is set in Constantinople – now Istanbul – in the late 1800s, early 1900s. This is a time when Greeks used to co-exist peacefully with the Muslim population and the other minorities of the city.
Loxandra focuses on the ordinary life of a well to-do Greek family (of which her grandmother is a part) at a time before the world of these people was changed forever. The themes of war, revolution and great depression are also woven into the greater story-line.
World War I was fought within this time frame. Greeks came face to face with great hopes as Constantinople was regained. But these hopes were not to last as they were quickly dashed when the city was lost, along with all of Asia Minor – forcing its inhabitants to flee to Greece.
Although Loxandra, a great believer in the Orthodox religion, is living through such hard times, she never loses hope. She always believes that the Madonna will protect her and her family. Loxandra does not just trust that things will work out and stands by idly, she also helps out in the struggle as much as she can by secretly giving away her savings to help persecuted Armenians.
This is a time when neighbours came from other areas of the world and it made no difference, this is a time when humanity came above patriotism and hatred. And Loxandra is just one hero in a changing world who makes us fall in love with the city of many flavours and the innocence of the time.
The book was published around 1963. It took a while for the story to be picked up by the general public but when it was it took on a life of its own, being reprinted ten times in a matter of five months. The story was made into a TV series in 1980.
The play will be performed in Nicosia until December 20. It will then move to Larnaca on January 14 for two performances. Next it will be performed in Limassol on January 22 and 23, and it will complete its tour in Famagusta on January 27.
Loxandra
Performance of the play based on the novel by Maria Iordanidou. October 31 until December 20. THOC new building, Nicosia. 8.30pm and 6pm on Sunday. In Greek. Tel: 77-772717
