Emmanuel Roidis' POPE JOANNE, Athens & Epidaurus Festival 2014-2015.
Dimitris Mavrikios staged a new theatrical production based on Emmanuel Roidis’ celebrated 'Pope Joan' (1866) which is the most translated Greek novel of all times . It tells the medieval story of Joan's life and her legendary rise to the Papal throne. The author of the acclaimed novel was excommunicated by the Orthodox Church at the time and seems to have drawn material from the astonishing life of his mother Kornelia Roidi. The set consists of a series of found showcase boxes that recall the Catholic confessional cubicles, vitrines that host relics of saints or museum show-cases. The characters of Pope Joan's legend gradually awaken and come out of these cases, to life, during the performance.
The cast: Youlika Skafida, Rania Oikonomidou, Alexandros Varthis, Spyros Andreopoulos, Dimitris Daskas, Manolis Dounias, Giannis Flourakis, Eva Oikononou-Vamvaka, Stefanos Papatrechas.
The creative team: Adapted for the stage and Directed by Dimitris Mavrikios / Set design: Dimitris Polychroniadis / Costumes: Eva Nathena / Music: Stathis Skouropoulos / Choreography: Apostolia Papadamaki / Lighting design: Lefteris Pavlopoulos / Cinematography: Aggelos Papadopoulos / Assistant Director: Manolis Dounias.
Photos by Evi Fylaktou and Dimitris Polychroniadis.