Aristophanes' Lysistrata by Costas Montis

On the occasion of the Year of Costas Montis and in response to an exceptionally high demand by the audience, the Theatrical Workshop of the University of Cyprus (THEPAK) offers two additional performances of Aristophanes’ famous comedy “Lysistrata”, translated into Cypriot dialect by Costas Montis.

The performances, which will be given on 9 September at the Axiothea Mansion and on 11 September at the Kourion Amphithe-atre, are offered free to the public in an effort to disseminate and promote the work of the major contemporary poet of Cyprus.

Montis’ “Cypriot Lysistrata” – with its luscious idiomatic language, full of brilliant translator’s choices – has already been recognised as a standard-setting rendition of an ancient text, which preserves the freshness and vivacity of Aristophanes’ writing style and highlights the richness of the Cypriot vernacular in all its beauty, adding to the Ancient Greek comedy an intense local flavour, an unmistakably Cypriot character.

In THEPAK’s performance, this Cypriot character extends over to the broader musical and metrical organisation of the play, thus fitting the ancient comedy into the cultural context of Cyprus’ demotic and popular narrative tradition. This is achieved not only through stage direction and kinesiology, but also through the music of the play, composed by Evagoras Karagiorgis, which enters into a creative dialogue with Cypriot folklore, as well as through Christos Lysiotis’ approach to costume design, which is inspired by the traditional Cypriot costumes.

Since its premiere in the fall of 2000 at the Rethymno Renaissance Festival, THEPAK’s version of “Lysistrata” has been performed dozens of times in Cyprus and abroad (at municipal festivals in Cyprus and in Crete, at the International Meeting of University Theatre in Ancient Olympia, at King’s College of the University of London, at the Society of Cretan Studies – Kapsomenos Foundation in Chania, and even at the Rizokarpaso Gymnasium in the occupied part of Cyprus). The performance has achieved great recognition by both audiences and critics, becoming one of the most successful productions of the University of Cyprus Theatrical Workshop. This year, the performance underwent a revision with the inclusion of new cast in major roles.

Adaptation and stage direction: Michalis Pieris
Music: Evagoras Karagiorgis
Set and costumes: Christos Lysiotis, Eliana Chrysostomou
Movement coaching: Michalis Pieris
Choreography: Elena Christodoulidou
Lighting: Giorgos Koukoumas
Sound supervision: Stamatia Laoumtzi
Technical support: Kyriakos Kakoullis
Production manager, assistant director: Stamatia Laoumtzi

The Chorus of Old Men and the Chorus of Women features all the members of THEPAK, while the major roles in this year’s performances are played by:
Lysistrata: Christina Pieri, Magistrate: Dimitris Pitsilis, Myrrhine: Myria Hadjimatthaiou, Cinesias: Stavros Aroditis, Coryph- aeus of Old Men: Michalis Yangou, Coryphaeus of Women: Eftychia Georgiou, Lampito: Miranda Nychidou, Calonice: Angela Savvidou, Old Man: Chariton Iosifides, Old Woman: Michalis Michael.