Peace by Aristophanes

International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama 2015.

A new theatre group, founded by Yiolanta Christodoulou, presents the anti-war utopia Peace by Aristophanes. This comedy, more contemporary than ever, reflects the human desire for a peaceful life, free of wars and bloodshed, while it reminds us that the motives and the wrong choices people make through the centuries, unfortunately remain unchanged.

▪ The performance will be surtitled in English

Plot
The Athenian citizen Trygaeus, fed up with the ten-year Peloponnesian war, decides to act by himself and put an end to the war. He feeds a beetle, which grows to be a real beast, then rides it and flies up to heaven in order to discuss the whole matter with Zeus. When he reaches Olympus, he only finds Hermes, since the rest of the gods had retreated to the upper regions of heaven, so as not to see anymore the disgusting misfortunes of war. In their place War reigns, while he has imprisoned Peace in a cave and is ready to pound all the Greek cities that are fighting each other.

But because War has no pestle and there is nobody to give him one – Cleon and Brasidas are dead – he enters his house to create one himself. Trygaeus takes the opportunity, persuades Hermes to show him the cave where Peace is imprisoned and asks everybody who is fed up with the war, farmers, craftsmen and traders to free Peace from her prison, against Zeus orders.

They manage to free Peace and its attendants, Opora and Theoria. Together with them, he climbs down to earth and there follow some amusing scenes in which different war-profiteers are discomfited, while honest and peace-loving people rejoice. The play ends with a cheerful scene where Trygaeus goes off the stage, in a wedding procession, to marry Opora.

Peace was presented in 421 BC at the great Dionysia, a few months after the death of Cleon and the Spartan general Brasidas and only a few days before the conclusion of Nikieias peace and won the second prize.

Adaptation/Dramaturgy: Lea Maleni and the team of actors
Direction: Yiolanta Christodoulou
Movement coaching: Chloe Melidou
Music: Nektarios Rodosthenous
Set design: Elena Kotasvili, Alexis Vagianos
Costume design: Marina Hadjilouca
Light design: Alexander Jotovic
Production Manager: Yiangos Hadjiyiannis

Cast:
Two servants of Trygaeus: Yiolanta Christodoulou, Thanasis Ioannou
Trygaeus: Lea Maleni
Daughters of Trygaeus: Maria Philippou, Costas Silvestros
Hermes: Costas Silvestros
War: Thanasis Ioannou
Cydoemus: Maria Philippou
Peace: Maria Philippou
Harvest: Thanasis Ioannou
Festival: Maria Kaouri
Hierocles: Thanasis Ioannou
Sickle maker: Maria Philippou
Crest-and-helmet maker: Costas Silvestros
Arms salesman: Thanasis Ioannou
Helmet maker: Costas Silvestros
Spear scraper: Yiolanta Christodoulou
Son to Lamachus: Maria Philippou
Son to Cleonymus: Thanasis Ioannou
Chorus: Thanasis Ioannou, Yiolanta Christodoulou, Maria Philippou, Costas Silvestros

Entrance: 10€ │ 5€ (Students, Senior Citizens, National Guard)
Free entrance for the persons with disabilities after proof of ID

Tickets:
- at SOEASY Kiosks in all cities,
- at TIME OUT Kiosk in Paphos,
- online at www.SoldoutTickets.com.cy