After the great success and the triple sold-out of “The Artaud Diptych” project last spring, the Tank NYC presents as part of this May’s program of The Tank's ProsceniumTheater (312 W 36th St, New York, NY, 10018) “THE CENCI FAMILY,” directed by Ioli Andreadi. A new play inspired by the great, global, groundbreaking artist and thinker Antonin Artaud, written by the two prolific Greek playwrights Ioli Andreadi & Aris Asproulis. Starring Konstantina Takalou, Ifigeneia Karamitrouand, Thanos Koniaris. Ioli Andreadi, bringing her fifth direction to the Tank Theater in the last 5 years, presents, this time, through a precisely choreographed stage form, the true story of the first girl who smashed patriarchy and was murdered for it. The show, which has received excellent reviews, is presented on Thursday, May 2nd, Friday, May 3rd, and Saturday, May 4 at 7:00 pm with English subtitles. With the kind sponsorship of“The George & Victoria Karelias Foundation”and under the auspices of “TheConsulate General of Greece in New York.”
IOLI ANDREADI & ARIS ASPROULIS present
THE CENCI FAMILY
THE TRUE STORY OF THE FIRST GIRL WHO SMASHED THE PATRIARCHY AND WAS MURDERED FOR IT.
DIRECTED BY IOLI ANDREADI
THE TANK THEATER
312 W 36th Street, New York, NY 10018
Thursday, May 2nd
Friday, May 3rd
Saturday, May 4th
7:00 PM
STARRING
KONSTANTINA TAKALOU
IFIGENEIA KARAMITROU
THANOS KONIARIS
The Plot
Rome, 1599.
Count Cenci is the richest man of his time. He is intelligent, irreverent and caustic. A mocker and acynic. Rumours about him were rife. It is said that his horrors were unheard of and his appetites,despite his age, insatiable.
One night, Count Cenci receives an unexpected guest. Cardinal Camillo, the Pope’s negotiator, arrivesat his mansion unannounced. The Count has great difficulty in finding the good intentions in thisunexpected visit and the rain that came with it seems in itself a bad omen.
Cardinal Camillo advises Cenci that, if he wishes his unknown crimes to remain unknown,he mustrelinquish a third of his possessions to the Church.
Old Cenci, despite his objections, surprised by the proposal of the Inquisition to silence itself with his gold, decides to capitulate. In the name, however, of this capitulation–and since the gold that he will be surrendering certainly seems plenty enough to warrant a few more crimes–he plans the ineffable:a spree where he will murder his two sons and taint his only daughter’s honour.
His young daughter, Beatrice, is the only person in the whole of Rome who has the courage to take revenge on him for his sins. Patriarchy’s power, however, is a force that, lacking justice, turns against anyone who fights it.
The gallows that await her are warm. And the tale is true.
A few words about the Cenci.
“The Cenci Family” was written in the spring of 2015 by Ioli Andreadi and Aris Asproulis. It is a new play inspired by the true story of the Cenci family, the play “The Cenci” by Antonin Artaud and the novella "The Cenci" by Stendhal. This new play attempts to present an event from the 16th century incurrent times; to bridge two eras in a limited space, trapping the protagonists in a virtual display which lends them prestige but robs them of any means of escape.
The Cenci (Les Cenci) by Artaud was a milestone in the so called “Theatre of Cruelty” and his work was considered dramatically powerful and of great influence on many levels and artistic movements of the 20th Century.The first staging of the play, which took place on the 7th of May 1935, staged byArtaud himself, was not a success as judged by both critics and audiences and ran for only 17 nights.The role of Count Cenci was interpreted by Artaud himself who, after the financial catastrophe of his venture, decided never to direct for the theatre again.
The passions of the Cenci family, the horrific crimes of Count Cenci and the brave and tragic self-sacrifice of the 16-year-old Beatrice, proved to be a great source of inspiration for great poets, thinkers and artists, such as Shelley, Stendhal, Moravia, Artaud and Artemisia Gentileschi, as well as for the beginning of the feminist movement.
This new play "The Cenci Family" was staged in Athens, Greece, as part of the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation’s 2015-2016 theater season and as part of the historic ArtTheater Karolos Koun’s 2022-2023 theater season, receiving excellent reviews. It forms part of "The Artaud Trilogy", a trilogy of new plays written about the life and works of Antonin Artaud, by Ioli Andreadi and Aris Asproulis. In the spring of 2023, the two other plays of this trilogy (“Artaud / Van Gogh”and“Bone”) were presented back-to-back as “The Artaud Diptych” at the TANK theatre in New York with great success.
“The Cenci Family”is presented at the TANK theatre with the kind sponsorship of “The George & Victoria Karelias Foundation” and under the auspices of “The Consulate General of Greece in New York”.
Reviews
“A performance of aesthetic and formalistic excellence, with three diamond actors embodying in the flesh the perversion of power. Leaning with scholarly diligence and artistic inspiration on Stendhal's chronicle and Artaud's work concerning the Chenchi, Ioli Andreadi and Aris Asprouli shave written a modern four-act work, dense and fiery, a synthesis of voices and confessions running through a Shakespearean aura and an intertextual obsession, from Camus to Rimbaud.Three actors faithfully serve the triptych of static, physicality and violent poetry. Within a gilded frame, the Chenchi slay and are slain. Immortal is only the "bad blood" that runs in the veins of every structure of dominance and submission. Excellent scenography and costumes by Dimitra Liakouras.”
| Ileiana Dimadi, ATHINORAMA.
“The very interesting thing about Ioli Andreadi's performance is that it is an impeccably structured stage event, in which each individual scene supports and serves the whole act. The young director has mastered the art of composition very well, without being influenced by Artaud's fiery and contradictory thinking. It is rational in the way it embodies irrationality in keeping with the proportions-Bob Wilson's cerebral, highly aesthetic approaches. Notice how the scenery ofLiakouragive the play's appearance brilliantly. Well done!”
| Matina Kaltaki, LIFO.
“The director Ioli Andreadi together with Aris Asproulis create a new, original theatrical text for thestage. The entire completely kinesiologically coded performance takes place within a frame-stage,a frame surrounded by a period gold frame and within which the depicted figures seem, at the startof the performance, to come to life by "showing" their bloody history. From the real story of theCenci to the Greek version of Andreadi-Asproulis via Shelley, Stendhal, Artaud, much ink has beenspilled. The fact is that "The Chenchi Family" is a well-made play far from both the romanticmeasured tragedy of Shelley and the theater of cruelty of Artaud, but also the documentarynarrative of Stendhal. Ioli Andreadi, having trapped the entire scene in a frame that comes to life,uses only three actors for all the roles of the drama, ensuring an absolute symmetry in the stageimage and giving the play a stylized approach that excludes the emotionality and psychology offaces.The creators deserve credit for thedramatic text and they deserve congratulations for thewhole directing concept in Andreadi that really escapes from the trivial, opening a dialogue withother texts and directing currents of the 20th century. “
| Dimitris Tsatsoulis, IMERODROMOS.
“Here we have a new, complete play with exuberant, dense, charged poetic language and organizeddramaturgy. A play that has all the background and conditions to be used by troupes abroad. Nextto this debut of the two playwrights, Ioli Andreadi and Aris Asproulis, we have a dynamicdirectorial and aesthetic proposal. The directing reflexes of Ioli Andreadi are alert. First of all, therhythm she adopts spares her from everything unnecessary, and thus her other 'children', thereason and the plot, emerge. Everything is understandable. The bodies of the three performersreally stand on a pedestal and almost like embalmed exhibits behind an invisible display case. Precision and elegance work.”
| Stella Harami, SPIRTO.
“An almost motionless, dark, completely stylized performance which, however, in the midst of its 'immobility' releases energy, bringing down with awe, as if from a museum window, this 'sad tragedy of monsters'.”
| Giorgos Sarigiannis, THE FOURTH BELL.
WHO ARE IOLI ANDREADI AND ARIS ASRPOULIS?
Ioli Andreadi, theatre and performance director, playwright, researcher, Assistant Professor at the University of Western Macedonia specializing in Theater and Education, and Aris Asproulis, playwright, Dr. of Sociology, Panteion University, Director of Communication of the Municipal Theatre of Piraeusand the historic Art Theater Karolos Koun, have co-authored 14 theatrical plays (original and adaptations) from 2015 until today, which have been staged in Greece, New York, London and Bulgaria, directed by Ioli Andreadi and having received excellent reviews. Ioli Andreadi and Aris Asproulis specialize in creating original theatrical works, based on the study of real events, through research of primary archival material; documents and publications; interviews; books; field work. They also share a deep interest in the Classics (literature, theatre,art), having adapted for the stage a three-hour version of Tolstoy’sWar and Peace, a two-hour version of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Euripides’ Ion and Helen. Their work also includes three new plays on the life and work of Antonin Artaud:Artaud / Van Gogh, The Cenci Family and Bone. All their plays have been published by Kapa Publishing House.
Since 2003, Ioli has worked as a theatre director and playwright in Greece and abroad (UK, NewYork, Berlin, Rome, Bulgaria), having directed 40 theatre productions. She trained as an actress at the Art Theatre Karolos Koun and she studied Directing at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London (MA). Her PhD in Theatre and Performance at King’s College London, was published in English by Kapa Publishing House under the title:Anastenaria: Ritual, Theatre, Performance; An Experiential Study(2020). She is a Fulbright Artist, having conducted her research on the dialogue between musical theatre and ancient tragedy in NY (NYMF, City Center Studios). She is a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Director’s Lab as an SNF grantee. Her postdoctoral research on Antonin Artaud and Neuroscience (2015-today) is soon to be published under the supervision of Professor Cornelia Poulopoulou. Since 2015 she is teaching yoga for actors (Yoga Alliance certification). She is teachingPerformance: Theory and Practice (her book “Performance: Theory and Practice; Directing, Philosophy and Culture” was published by KPH) as a Guest Lecturer at Universities in Greece and abroad (University of Athens, University of Cyprus, King’s College. London, Aberystwyth University, Brooklyn College CUNY, University of Greenwich UK) andTheatre and Education, both theoretically and practically, as an Assistant Professor at the University of Western Macedonia (her book Theatre and Education: Theory and Practice was published by Kapa Publishing House in 2023).
Since 2006, Aris has worked as a publicist of both major and experimental theatre and cultural events, national and international, in Greece, including Epidaurus and Odeon of Herodes Atticus. He is teaching Sociology of Work, Immigration and Gender in Greece and abroad (PanteionUniversity, UWM, University of Durham) and Communication of Culture at Panteion University and Artens Seminars.
Original Plays
• 2015 & 2022 & 2023 & 2024 – “Artaud / Van Gogh” (Semeio Theatre & Art Theatre Karolos Koun & The TankTheater–New York & International Monodrama Festival, Sofia, Bougaria)
• 2015 & 2022 - "TheCenci Family" (Michael Cacoyiannis Foundation & Art Theatre Karolos Koun-Greece)
• 2016 - "Two hundred and tenthousand yarns of cotton–performing the archive" (Cultural Foundation ofPiraeus Bank Group,PIOP-Greece)
• 2016 - "Young Lear" (Athens and Epidaurus Festival, Piraeus 260–Greece)
• 2019 - "In memory of a young child" (Athens Asylon Aniaton/Hospice for Neuro-disability–Greece& JubileeTheater–University of Roehampton–London UK)
• 2021 & 2022 - "FILIKI ETERIA: the Brotherhood behind the Revolution" (Museums of the Piraeus Group Cultural Foundation–Greece & The Tank Theater–New York)
• 2022 & 2023 & 2024 - "Βone”(Art Theatre Karolos Koun, Semeio Theatre–Greece & The Tank Theater–New York & International Monodrama Festival, Sofia, Boulgaria)
Adaptations
• 2017-"A man returns to his home believing he will get killed and gets killed"–newritualisticversion fortwo people of the play "Murder in the Cathedral" by T.S. Eliot on the translation by George Seferis (Art TheatreKarolos Koun-Greece)
• 2017-2019-"Every Brilliant Thing" by Duncan McMillan and Jonny Donahoe(New World Theater-Greece& The Hellenic Center–London)
• 2017-2019-"Ion" by Euripides (Philippi Festival, Acropolis, Delphi–Greece& The Tank Theater–NewYork)• 2018-"The Misanthrope" by Moliere (Contemporary Theater-Greece)
• 2019-2020-"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy (Municipal Theatre of Piraeus-Greece)
• 2020-"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen (Alkyonis Theatre-Greece)
• 2020 & 2022 & 2023-"Helen" by Euripides (Philippi Festival &Roes Theatre-Greece&Plovdiv DramaTheatre-Bulgaria)
THE CENCI FAMILY
Cast
KONSTANTINA TAKALOU
IFIGENEIA KARAMITROU
THANOS KONIARIS
Crew
Direction: Ioli Andreadi
Play: Ioli Andreadi & Aris Asproulis
Translation in English: Ioli Andreadi
Set & Costume Design: Dimitra Liakoura
Photographer: Stavros Habakis
Video Trailer & Video Stills: Michael Mavromoustakos
Production Manager: Orestis Tatsis
Production Company: Reon
With the kind sponsorship of
The George and Victoria Karelias Foundation
Under the auspices of
The Consulate General of Greece, New York
*Please note that this performance will be presented at the Tank's in-person performance space at 312 W 36th St. All attendees and artists will be required to have a covid vaccination before being admitted to the space. Patrons will also be required to wear masks, when not eating or drinking.
MEET THE TEAM
IOLI ANDREADI
DIRECTOR & CO-WRITER
Ioli Andreadi is theatre and performance director, playwright, researcher, Assistant Professor at the University of Western Macedonia specializing in Theater and Education.
Since 2003, Ioli has worked as a theatre director and playwright in Greece and abroad (UK, New York, Berlin, Rome, Bulgaria), having directed 40 theatre productions. She trained as an actress at the Art Theatre Karolos Koun and she studied Directing at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London (MA). Her PhD in Theatre and Performance at King’s College London was published in English by Kapa Publishing House under the title: Anastenaria: Ritual, Theatre, Performance; An Experiential Study (2020). She is a Fulbright Artist, having conducted her research on the dialogue between musical theatre and ancient tragedy in NY (NYMF, City Center Studios). She is a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Director’s Lab as an SNF grantee. Her postdoctoral research on Antonin Artaud and Neuroscience (2015-today) is soon to be published under the supervision of Professor Cornelia Poulopoulou. Since 2015 she is teaching yoga for actors (Yoga Alliance certification). She is teaching Performance: Theory and Practice (her book Performance: Theory and Practice; Directing, Philosophy and Culture was published by KPH) as a Guest Lecturer at Universities in Greece and abroad (University of Athens, University of Cyprus, King’s College London, Aberystwyth University, Brooklyn College CUNY, University of Greenwich UK) and Theatre and Education, both theoretically and practically, as an Assistant Professor at the University of Western Macedonia (her book Theatre and Education: Theory and Practice was published by Kapa Publishing House in 2023).
With Aris Asproulis, Ioli has co-authored 14 theatrical texts (original and adaptations) from 2015 until today, which have been staged in Greece, New York, London and Boulgaria, directed by her and having received excellent reviews. Ioli Andreadi and Aris Asproulis specialize in creating original theatrical works, based on the study of real events, through research of primary archival material; documents and publications; interviews; books; field work. They also share a deep interest in the Classics (literature, theatre, art), having adopted for the stage a three-hour version of Tolstoy’s War and Peace, a two-hour version of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Euripides’ Ion and Helen. Their work also includes three new plays on the life and work of Antonin Artaud: Artaud/Van Gogh, The Cenci Family and Bone. All their plays have been published by Kapa Publishing House.
ARIS ASPROULIS
CO-WRITER
Aris Asproulis is playwright, Dr. of Sociology, Panteion University, Director of Communication of the historic Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, the historic Art Theater Karolos Koun and “Lykofos” Productions has co-authored 14 theatrical plays (original and adaptations) from 2015 until today, which have been staged in Greece, New York, London and Bulgaria, having received excellent reviews. Since 2006, Aris has worked as a publicist of both major and experimental theatre and cultural events, national and international, in Greece, including Epidaurus and Odeon of Herodes Atticus and international collaborations such as with Monica Bellucci, John Malkovich, Imany, Ozzy Osbourne, Gene Gillette, Tom Volf, The Tank Theatre (NYC) and The Plovdiv Drama Theater. He is teaching Sociology of Work, Immigration and Gender in Greece and abroad (Panteion University, UWM, University of Durham) and Communication of Culture at Panteion University and Artens Seminars.
With Ioli Andreadi, Aris has co-authored 14 theatrical texts (original and adaptations) from 2015 until today, which have been staged in Greece, New York, London and Boulgaria, directed by Ioli Andreadi and having received excellent reviews. Ioli Andreadi and Aris Asproulis specialize in creating original theatrical works, based on the study of real events, through research of primary archival material; documents and publications; interviews; books; field work. They also share a deep interest in the Classics (literature, theatre, art), having adopted for the stage a three-hour version of Tolstoy’s War and Peace, a two-hour version of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Euripides’ Ion and Helen. Their work also includes three new plays on the life and work of Antonin Artaud: Artaud/Van Gogh, The Cenci Family and Bone. All their plays have been published by Kapa Publishing House.
KONSTANTINA TAKALOU
ACTRESS
She was born in the beautiful village of Larisa. She graduated from the school of the Athens Conservatory with a scholarship in 1998. She attended for two years (1994-96) the workshop of Vassilis Diamantopoulos, as well as the Acting Theater workshop of Kostas Kazakos (1996). Seminars with Michael Marmarinos, Anatoli Vassilief etc. At the same time, she danced (classical, modern, jazz) for ten years. She has taken part in theater festivals abroad with the ATTIS theater group. In recent years she has been collaborating mainly with the National Theatre, the Karolos Koon Art Theater, the House of Letters and Arts. She collaborated, among others, with the following directors: Nikos Mastorakis, Thodoros Terzopoulos, Marianna Kalbaris, Yiannis Houvardas, Stathis Livathinos, Roula Paterakis, Sotiris Hatzakis, Petros Zoulias, Takis Tzamargias, Costas Tsianos, Thanasis Sarandos, Thodori Goni, Anna Kokkinou, Giannis Kakleas, Georgia Mavragani, Eleni Efthymiou, Christoforo Christofi, Nikaiti Kontouri, Themi Moumoulidis, Panteli Dentaki, Enke Fezolari. She is also an Acting Teacher at the Art Theatre Karolos Koun.
IFIGENEIA KARAMITROU
ACTRESS
She was born in Katerini, Greece. She graduated with honors from the Drama School of the National Theatre of Greece (2017) and the Department of Psychology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2016). As an actor, she counts participations in a number of performances, among which stand out: The Three Sisters (Masha) directed by C. Grauzinis (NTNG 2019 -2020), Popolaros (Elda) directed by Th. Ampazis (K. Koun Art Theatre 2021), Yerma - el cuerpo muerto (Yerma) directed by Th. Triandafyllidoy (Bios 2022), The Cenci Family (Beatrice Cenci) directed by I. Andreadi (K. Koun Art Theatre 2022) etc. Apart from the theater, she has numerous television and cinema participations. As an actor of the undergraduate performance of the National Theatre of Greece Drama School Agamemnon by Aeschylus, taught by Dimitris Imellos, she has been honored with the International Student Theater Festival "Danail Chirpansky" Award in Bulgaria and with the award Vgik International Student Festival "Special prize of jury - for the highly artistic mastering of word classics by modern theatrical language” in Russia.
THANOS KONIARIS
ACTOR
Thanos Koniaris was born and raised in Athens, Greece. He studied acting in drama school and since then he's been working as an actor in different independent theatres and national organisations. He's been in several short films which took part in film festivals worldwide. He also has a bachelor in statistics and insurance science and degree in graphic arts. He does acrobatics and tae kwon do.
DIMITRA LIAKOURA
SET & COSTUME DESIGN
Dimitra Liakoura:Born and raised in Corinth, Greece. She studied theatre theory in National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and completed her MA in Design for Performance and Practice in Central Saint Martins College, London. She has participated in numerous performances as a scenographerand costume designer, in various theatre stages and venues including National Theatre of Greece, Onassis Cultural Foundation (Stegi), Greek Festival, Michalis Cacoyiannis Foundation, Theatre of Art, Karolos Koun etc. She also works as a production designer & costume designer for cinema. She was the costume designer for feature film ”Apples” with executive producer Cate Blanchett. She was the art director of the feature film "Sima's Song" an international production of the first Afghan woman director Roya Sadat. She has participated in group exhibitions with performances and artworks and lately she is involved in curation too. She is doing her phD on the Dramaturgy of Colors, Theatre Studies University, Nafplio.
MICHAEL MAVROMOUSTAKOS
VIDEO TRAILER / FILMING SHOWS
Michael Mavromoustakos grew up on the beautiful island of Rhodes, Greece. He is a graduate of the "Stavrakou" Cinema Directing School. He directs and edits video clips, video trailers, short films, theater with exclusive collaboration with Art Theatre Karolos Koun. He still has distinguished and awarded by many festivals such as: Mad TV Competition - Award for best ecological film from "48 hours Go Green" - 3rd prize from "Argo film festival" for the film "Repulsion" - Award from the Ministry of Finance for social message - "Bridges" festival short film award. Michael always gives a clarity to his image, as well as a sense of spontaneous scene.
STAVROS HABAKIS
PHOTOGRAPHER
About me…
My services go beyond mere photography; they encompass the art of crafting captivating visual narratives. I specialize in creating alluring photos and videos that not only showcase the architectural marvels of five-star and boutique hotels but also embody the essence of the luxurious lifestyle they offer.
My work is known for its unique blend of sensuality and sophistication, all while maintaining a respectful and politically correct tone. I aim to leave viewers with more than just aesthetically pleasing visuals;
I strive to evoke a longing to experience the world of these exceptional hotels firsthand, to turn their dreams of a lavish getaway into a reality
People ask me if I grew up always taking pictures…
if I always knew I wanted to become a photographer.
The answer is no,
The truth is I became a photographer, because…
I couldn’t draw.
ORESTIS TATSIS
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
He was born in Ioannina, Greece. He studied in the department of Philosophy, Education and Psychology in the university of Ioannina. He got his master degree in cultural management from Panteion University. He has held several seminars and has taught Philosophy and Theatre History in Patra’s municipal drama school. He has been the director in the following performances: “The tootsie” by D. Tsekouras, “Madame de Sade” by Yukio Mishima, “The Butterfly’s Evil Spell” by Federico García Lorca, “The decay” by D. Tsekouras, “Terminal Station” by C. Tzamiotis, “Exiles in Athens” based on the novel “Crisis” by Arkadios Leykos, “The tree that loved” by theatrical group ViDa, “The Castle” by Franz Kafka. He is the dramaturgy advisor and longtime collaborator of dancing company “Creo” and artistic director of the theatrical company “Reon”. He has been an assistant director of D. Giannakopoulos, V. Nikolaidis, A. Adipas. His articles on theatre, literature politics, art etc have been published in several magazines, newspapers and online. He is a member of the editorial board and a columnist in the artistic magazine “to Erma”.