Electra Untitled is a groundbreaking Surreal Physical Theatre Performance that blends the Physical theatre method of Theodoros Terzopoulos, Puppetry and Live Cinema to reconstruct Electra's Greek tragedy by Sophocles through the female and queer gaze. A diverse multinational cast of dancers/puppeteers use their autobiographical material of gender based violence (GBV) to rewrite Electra's myth and set light on how patriarchy affects the relationships between femininities and queer people. Electra becomes a modern antihero; tangled in violence that runs for generations of patriarchal suppression. The performers transform the stage to retell the ancient myth and address Electra’s collective body to its core researching a feminist re-looking of the character and the tragedy. Electra Untitled adds a twist to an old narrative and brings forward the role of women who provoke change in times of hostility and dissolution. The Tragedy of Electra by Sophocles provides the conceptual framework to be used as a metaphor alongside autobiographical testimonies of the performers and the participants from the workshops to tell stories of intergenerational violence.

 

Press:

★★★★ “Even within the solemn and tragic sense of the play, being infected by laughter seemed inevitable.” – North West End UK

 

★★★1/2 ‘Group singing was an effective homage to Greek chorus, while the use of live video worked to firmly cement the piece in 21st-century cultural conversation.’ A Youngish Perspective

 

‘Brilliantly Choreographed Dance’ - Michael Soltys, Buenos Aires Times

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"Amazing performance. This is a story many of us can relate to." - Mina, 21

MAAS INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL 2024

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‘Mesmerising Performance’, ‘Incredible Physical Theatre’

Oxford Off beat Festival, Old Fire Station Theatre

 

Trailers: 

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/897437465

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBly2_TCb0A 

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The story so far: 

The project was a success with a couple of full house runs at The Place London (resolution festival 2022), The Cockpit Theatre and Arcola Theatre (2023) and engaged more than 800 audience at the Maas Foundation Festival in Lahore (Alhamra Cultural Complex and University of Punjab), Pakistan (2024) where received with very enthusiastic audience feedback, engaging especially young people. Recently we toured at British Arts Centre in Buenos Aires in Argentina where it has engaged a diverse audience in 2 performances and received very good critics: 

 

Our show Electra Untitled, along with accompanying community-focused workshops. This is a show inspired by the classical myth/Sophocles play ‘Electra’, which is looking to explore the story through a feminist lens, seeking to tell a story about self-empowerment through knowledge, community, and control over your own story. The workshops have been conducted so far in Jordan, Pakistan, the UK and Argentina.

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CAST and Creative Team 

 

Based on Electra by Sophocles 

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CAST

Argentina Performers (in alphabetical order):

Belen Brito, Nela Fortunato, Maria Masonou, Mayra Stergiou

UK Performers  (in alphabetical order): 

Alexa Kormari, Depi Gorgogiani, Pelagie-May Green, Christina Gyftaki, Emilie Largier, Claire-Monique Martin, Masumi Saito, Elena Stamoulakatou

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Concept/Adaptation/Direction: Mayra Stergiou 

Set & Costumes Design Consultant: Mayou Trikerioti 

Movement Consultation: Savvas Stroumpos 

Dramaturgy: Nazli Tabatabai-Khatambakhsh

Light Design: Alexandros Politakis 

Puppet Maker: Kelly Frost 

Sound Designers: Gregory Emfietzis / Claire-Monique Martin 

Voice Over: Susie Fairbrother

Marketing & Communication: Tamara Dawidowikz

Assistant Director / Stage Manager: Angela Poulima

Assistant Choreographer: Piedad Albaraccin Seiquer 

Assistant Producers: Bianca Beneduzzi, Christina Gyftaki

 

Argentina Associate Producers: Nela Fortunato, Sebastian Romero

UK Associate Producer: Mischa Alexander

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Artistic Mentors on T Method: 

Theodoros Terzopoulos, Savvas Stroumpos 

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Research Supervisors on Trauma: 

Prof. Dominik Halvsteen Franklin 

Dr. Simon Donger 

Polly Teale 

 

Research Residency at Theatre Attis, Athens, Greece in 2022.

With Special thanks to our RnD Devisors: 

Anna Helena Mc Lean, Jon Paul Mayse, Ezgi Uszen

 

The project has been funded by:

Arts Council England, Guildhall School of Music and Drama and SNG 

 

Supported by and Presented at:

The Place London, The Cockpit Theatre, The Arcola Theatre, Al Hamraa Cultural Centre (Lahore), Oxford Old Fire Station, Al Balad Theatre (Amman), British Arts Centre (Buenos Aires), BCN Studio (Barcelona)

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Communication Sponsors and Partners: 

Maas Foundation, Michalis Kakogiannis Foundation, The Hellenic Centre, Greek List, London Greek Library, Hellenic Foundation of Culture, Influence Magazine, Latin American Women's Aid, Claremont Project, CNWL NHS, De la Tia Space, Tsunami Project

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