In a unique initiative by the NTGent theatre in Ghent, performers will take to the streets of the city in 32 modern renditions of Greek plays. The All Greeks Festival does not promise literal performances but modern adaptations of classics. The eight-week outdoor festival kicks off on May 1st with a Parade of Fire and Plenty dedicated to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, ecstasy and theatre.
“Art first, work second. In that order of importance,” organizers said in a presentation of the festival on Tuesday. Based on the ancient Greek format, many performances will begin at sunrise, around 6:00 or 7:00, with some scheduled later in the morning. The events are free for the public, who are free to come and go as they please.
Retellings of classical Greek myths will be intertwined with contemporary experiences and the contribution of Ghent residents in collaboration with artists and institutions such as Milo Rau, Tiago Rodrigues, Olympique Dramatique and Toneelhuis, among others.
A fresh and timely take on Medea examines the role of children in theatre in Medea's Children. In one of literature's most brutal stories about a mother who, in utter despair, kills her children, Milo Rau focuses on a child's view of the world. With themes ranging from family history, first love and death, "Children, condemned to silence in classical tragedies, can finally speak this time."
A performance of Euripides’ Iphigenia in Tauris, which depicts themes of worship from a “superior” Greece, will focus on the future of Ghent’s heritage. In Beyond the Worship, the director asks what the city wants to preserve for future generations and what impact the city’s history of migration and colonial past has.
The public will be able to enjoy 32 performances, in various interpretations of the classics, until June 23. Detailed information, here.
Source: newsville.be
