evá papadakis: Gynaekokastro

Inspired by Spyros Karydakis' novel "Gynaekokastro" (Women's Castle), the play proposes to create a (post)feminist social manifesto that combines traditional and contemporary elements.

Women, kerchiefed Amazons or Sarakatsani, live autonomously in a unique commune on the Greek mainland's Pindos highlands, free from the outside world and oppressive male presence. There, a young man lives a life that is both ascetic and sexual because the women only want him for his masculine traits; he first works as a hunter and then fathers dozens of children. A metaphysical event exacerbates his sense of alienation from what he had hitherto considered reality and eliminates the concepts of space and time. The women turn out to be fairies, and the village transforms into a world on the verge of reality and fantasy, the modern and the primordial.

"Gynaecocastro" addresses both topical and timeless issues such as patriarchy, female empowerment, gender identity, and sexuality. It is a work that is rich in fantasy, myths, and pagan overtones, comprising an orgiastic blend of realism and surrealism.

Foregrounding paradox, surprise, and the seemingly incongruous as new ways of seeing the world, the performance will also combine polyphonic singing, electronic music, elliptical polyglot speech, traditional and ritual choreographies, and more. The final product will also incorporate concert film and visual poetry elements to highlight the features of the Greek mainland and create a distinct sci-fi ambiance.

This process of "grafting" will combine elements that were previously unconnected. Based on ethnological and folkloric research, it will bring to the stage the customs and traditions of the Greek countryside, with particular emphasis on public and private rituals, which will be given new significance through their juxtaposition with contemporary elements. Articles and studies on the interaction of gender oppression, sexuality, order, and the environment will be used as theoretical references.