Pinelopi Gerasimou

Julidans: Lapis Lazuli

Name: Julidans: Lapis Lazuli — Euripides Laskaridis (GR) / OSMOSIS
Start: 2024-07-05T20:30:00+02:00
Location: Frascati

Euripides Laskaridis (GR) / OSMOSIS

Thu 4 Jul ’24 and Fri 5 Jul ’24

Grotesquely creepy fable about unconscious primal forces

Thu 4 Jul ’24

and

Fri 5 Jul ’24

Thu 4 Jul ’24

20:30

NL Première

Frascati

Frascati 1

Past event
Fri 5 Jul ’24

20:30

Frascati

Frascati 1

Past event

The work of 'imagination magician' Euripides Laskaridis has been described as surreal, insane and Fellinian. His latest, Lapis Lazuli, is a poetic and grotesque fable exploring humanity's greatness and shortcomings, a burlesque tale in which chaos takes centre stage. Starring: a werewolf.

From Titian to Tutankhamun's death mask, the stone lapis lazuli has inspired mankind for centuries due to its deep blue colour and mystical properties. On one hand, the stone symbolises the connection to nature and creation, while on the other hand it represents fantasies, myths, the unknown and the inexplicable.

In Lapis Lazuli, a monstrous hybrid emerges from the depths of the imagination: the werewolf. This creature, which transforms into a bloodthirsty wolf at full moon, takes over the stage, bathed in a mesmerising, vibrant blue light. This light evokes associations with Yves Klein's iconic blue pigment, as well as Japanese art and medieval frescoes.

Fascinated by early black-and-white horror films, Laskaridis embraces the two-dimensional studio sets and overly dramatic acting. The eerie, fog-soaked gothic imagery provides the ideal setting for his own creepy werewolf who explores the stage and shows its most fearsome and ferocious side, while slowly revealing its vulnerability and sensitivity. Thus, Lapis Lazuli highlights man's inner struggle between primitive instincts and the higher faculties of intellect and spirit.

About

Euripides Laskaridis, recipient of the 2016 Pina Bausch Fellowship, fills his work with bizarre creatures and imposing set designs that challenge conventions and explore extremes. A Greek exponent of the theatre of the absurd, he embraces two dominant themes: ridicule and transformation.

Duration: 75 min
Dutch premiere: Thu 4 July
Please note: the performance uses strong lighting effects including a stroboscope.

Credits

conceived & directed by Euripides Laskarides with Angelos Alafogiannis, Maria Bregianni/Eftychia Stefanou, Dimitris Matsoukas, Spyros Ntogas original music and sound design Giorgos Poulios dramaturgy consultant Alexandros Mistriotis set design Sotiris Melanos lighting design Stefanos Droussiotis special acoustic & electronic sound inventions, sounding objects Yorgos Stenos costumes Christos Delidimos, Alegia Papageorgiou props & special constructions Konstantinos Chaldaios artistic collaborator-set Vagelis Xenodochidis movement consultant Nikos Dragonas assistants to the director Charikleia Petraki, Yannis Savouidakis artistic collaborator & rehearsal stand-in Telis Tellakis artistic collaborator onassis air fellowship 2022 research – costume Aggelos Mentis set Loukas Bakas, Filanthi Bougatsou technical director Konstantinos Margkas sound engineer Martha Kapazoglou lighting technician & special lighting constructions Giorgos Ierapetritis props & special constraction assistant Timothy Laskaratos production assistant Nikos Charalampidis Production Runners Theologos Kampouris, Lida Manousou Alexiou assistant Director Intern Katerina Tsolou set design intern & logo design Konstantinos Papantonis prop interns Aphrodite Psychouli, Ilektra Anichini Pantalaki, Efthymis Gronthos costumes intern Ernesta Chatzilemonidou dramaturgy intern Jimmy Machai osmosis operations coordinator Euklida Velaj executive production, tour & production management Polyplanity Productions/ Yolanda Markopoulou & Vicky Strataki supported by The Foundation D’Entreprise Hermes co-produced by Theatre de la Ville (France), Theatre de Liege (Belgium), Espoo Theatre Finland (Finland), Teatros del Canal (Spain), Teatro Della Pergola Firenze (Italy), Festival Aperto/ Fondazione Teatri Reggio Emilia (Italy), Big Pulse Dance Alliance, Festivals: Julidans (Netherlands), Torinodanza Festival/ Teatro Stabile di Torino – Teatro Nazionale (Italy), One Dance Festival (Bulgaria) co-funded by The Creative Europe Programme of the European Union with support of Megaron __ The Athens Concert Hall with the Financial Support of The Greek Ministry of Culture