Ο Sophocles places at the centre of his tragedy a hero who is unable to keep up with his environment and his times. While the world is changing rapidly, while oaths are being broken and self-interest is shaping relationships, while a new more «democratic» civil society is emerging, the Ajax stands firm. When he is fraudulently deprived of Achilles' weapons, the greatest recognition of his martial virtue, he is overcome by the desire to avenge those who have wronged him. The goddess Athena clouds his mind and turns his fury on the flocks and their stewards. When he comes to his senses and realizes his delusion, continuing to live with this shame seems impossible; his identity is gone. His time has run out. Ajax dies and with him an era ends. The new era that begins looks more like a deep timeless winter of mourning and around the suicide a new immovable web of people is encapsulated and revealed.
The National Theater presents Sophocles' tragedy Ajax directed by Sophocles Argyris Xafi, who is stepping down for the first time as a director at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus.
The director of the show Argyris Xafis notes:
«This complex hero represents an old world that could not transform itself and therefore could not survive. Ajax's world is a flowing universe, perhaps modeled on Heraclitus, but without the philosopher's relief of the continuity of things. In this world one thing is certain, uncertainty. No exception to this law. Ajax sees the world just as it is and, deciding to go against its flow, becomes himself».
With Greek and English subtitles
Contributors
Translation: Nikos Panagiotopoulos
Directed by: Argyris Xafis
Dramatic editing: Aspasia-Maria Alexiou, Argyris Xafis
Props: Maria Panourgia
Costumes: Ioanna Tsami
Music: Cornelius Selamses
Choreography: Hara Kotsali
Lights: Alekos Anastasiou
Assistant director: Maria Savvidou
Phonetic teaching: Apostle Kitsos
Dramatist of the show: Aspasia-Maria Alexiou
First assistant director: Maya Kyriazi
Second assistant director: Vasiliki Athanasopoulou
Assistant director: Sofia Theodorakis
They play (alphabetically): Dimitris Imellos (Ulysses), Despina Kourtti (Athena), Tasos Mikelis (Euryssakis), John Dallianis (Menelaus), Evi Saoulidou (Tecmessa), Stathis Stamoulakatos (Ajax), Christos Stylianou (Tefcros), Nikos Hatzopoulos (Agamemnon)
Dance: Asimina Anastasopoulou, Dimitris Georgiadis, Aphrodite Katsarou, Erato Karathanasi, Fanis Kosmas, Lambros Constanteas, Efstathia Lagiokapa, Alkiviadis Mangonas, Irini Boudalis, Fotis Stratigos
Musicians on stage: Manos Ventouras horn, Spyros Vergis trombone, Menelaos Moraitis tuba
