«KASSANDRA-HECUBA» by Eduardo Brito and Carina Casuscelli
From Companhia Nova de Teatro (BRAZIL)
Director: Lenerson Polonini
Athens University History Museum – Plaka
Wednesday 25 September
20:00
School of Philosophy – AULA, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus Zografos
16:00
Thirsty. So he died from thirst and police shots. By order and security.
The cowards’ excuses are always shameful.
For progress and modernity. For peace and for the law.
This peace is always drowned in a bloodshed of many
Translation: Eleni Vlachou
Actors: Carina Casuscelli, Rosa Freitas
Collaboration: Théodoros Terzopoulos
Music: Wilson Sukorski
Videos: Alexandre Ferraz
The play
The KASSANDRA HECUBA project is a multimedia play structured in two monologues, based on the tragedy The Trojan Women by Euripides. Kassandra Hecuba features two of the most significant mythical characters of Greek tragedies in building an image of “Chaos”, as figures of various voices interact in the sphere of a visual poem of our time. In search of the synthesis, each figure represents the many voices of refugees who, in an attempt to change the course of their lives, leave for a journey into the unknown. The female voice of the dethroned queen, Hecuba, reveals in her corner of lament, the pain of the human being in its extreme situation. The discredited predictions by Kassandra are like oracles of our history that reveal the contemporary era of media, the widespread crisis and the everyday chaos.
Excerpts
I, Hecuba, brought forth excellent children, to make any woman jealous. But I saw them fall, with the strength of the enemy spear, one by one. One of them was taken from me at birth. I saw a torch of flaming serpents. The fire of destruction devastated my lineage. My grandchild was silent, but Grandma did not shut up. In my voice I bring the cry of all. My grandson was not a thief. He went to school and was shot. He asked for water before he died. The shirt, the bloody school uniform. Water. They would not let me give him water. Thirsty. So he died from thirst and police shots. By order and security. The cowards’ excuses are always shameful. For progress and modernity. For peace and for the law. This peace is always drowned in a bloodshed of many. Blood is the law.
Carina CASUSCELLI
Studied Fashion and Acting at the Anhembi Morumbi University and «Teatro Escola Macunaíma». Attended several workshops on playwriting and directing by Marici Salomão, João das Neves, Maria Lucia Pereira, among others. In 2001 joined the «Companhia Nova de Teatro» as actress and since then she is responsible for the creation and development of costume of its plays and performances. Coordinates the «Multimedia Signals Project» since 2002, which was granted in 2004 with the VAI sponsorship, a program from the Municipal Government Secretary of Culture, for the play Signals of a Dream, with direction and playwright of deaf actresses and for the project Informal… Performing the Fashion in Bras, with south American immigrants, in 2007.
In Italy, she collaborated with «Cia. Teatro Del Contagio», directed by Carmen Chimienti. In 2010, she organized along with workshops and dramatic readings, a brand’s fashion show of «Fashion is in Low – for the democracy of bodies». This Project had the collaboration of Dario D’Ambrosi, founder and director of «Teatro Patológico» of Rome. In 2012 she was awarded by «Aesthetical Interactions Award – FUNARTE».
Eduardo BRITO
Graduated in Languages at FFLCH-USP, with specialization in Portuguese and Greek. In June 2010, he attended an intensive summer course for foreign students of Greek language at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He translates theatrical plays for Companhia Nova de Teatro and novels of Margarita Karapanou. In 2009 attended the playwright workshop conducted by Roberto Alvim, at «Clube Noir», where wrote his first play Inside. He has written the plays: The Others, 2010, Parece que vai chover, 2011, the awarded Caminos invisibles – La partida and KRISIS.
Lenerson POLONINI
Researcher artist of visual, hybrid and performative theatre. Studied Theatre at the Estácio de Sá University (BA – Theater) and at the Drama School «O Tablado», Rio de Janeiro, in 1998-99. He has attended workshops with directors like Bob Paton, Eugenio Barba, Thedoros Terzopoulos, Isabela Ciwinska and the Hosho Noh Theater of Japan.
He is the founder of the Companhia. Nova de Teatro where he develops researches on the work of Samuel Beckett and on the visual scene of the 20th century. He has directed Act without Words I and II in 2001, Beckett in Repertoire with the participation of the actor Paulo César Pereio and Beckett in Repertorie 2 (2003), Beckett in Repertorie 3 and Ulysses (2005) and the multimedia plays: Doctor Faustus Lights the Light, by Gertrude Stein, and “Listen, Little Man!” of Wilhelm Reich.
In 2011, he coordinated the project «Companhia Nova de Teatro – 10 years» presenting plays of the repertoire performed at the «Cacilda Becker Theater», in Sao Paulo, while presenting two new works: Caminos Invisibles…La Partida (first place in the «Prize Internazionale Teatro dell ‘inclusione Teresa Pomodoro» 2012, in Milan), and The Crypt of Poe.
In 2013, he directed the play KRÍSIS, in Athens with the collaboration of Theodoros Terzopoulos at «Attis Theatre» and at «SESC BOM RETIRO», São Paulo.
During 2010 – 2015 he was engaged in the project «Segundo Turno Cultural» with the support of Secretaria Municipal de Cultura of Rio de Janeiro, teaching theater and improvisation workshops for children, teens and youth in the public schools in favelas.
