Tragedy rears its ugly head

Director Andreas Araouzos usually reveals stories that are on no account mainstream, which zoom into personal trauma and situations and which may take an old idea and put a more modern spin on it. Next week he will do nothing to alter his formula, providing us with yet another chance to see how the theatre can shock, amaze and change our outlook on things with the premier of Son of Amazon.

The play Son of Amazon is based on the legend of Hippolytus by Euripides but adapted to a contemporary theatrical performance. The legend of Hippolytus tells us that he was an athlete who wished to keep his body and soul pure. To keep his purity, he abstained from the act of making love. This is something that enraged Phaedra, his stepmother, the second wife of Theseus, as she was in love with him. Hippolytus rejects her advances and she commits suicide, but not before she falsely accuses her stepson of rape. Furious, Theseus wishes for his son’s exile and death.

While the two men are arguing, each armed with their own morals and beliefs, power and weaknesses, logic and absurdity, knowledge and ignorance, the Gods Aphrodite and Artemis intervene. Aphrodite helps to further the argument while Artemis tries to give father and son solutions on how to handle the matter.

These solutions, however, will not save the men from a tragic conclusion.

The adaption of the ancient Greek play will be performed by four actors and a guitarist at the highest point of Nicosia, overlooking Pentadaktylos.

Son of Amazon
Performance of the play by Andreas Araouzos based on the Ancient Greek tragedy Hippolytus by Euripides. June 6-29. Leventis Gallery, Nicosia. 8.30pm. €12/15. In Greek. Tel: 22-668838

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