Bachelors & Bachelorettes By Hanoch Levin At Theatre Of The No
EVENT INFO
- When: 20 Sep 2024 - 28 Oct 2024
- Where: Kon/nou Paleologou 3, Athens
- Price: €15
- Title: Bachelors & Bachelorettes By Hanoch Levin At Theatre Of The No
- Contact Number: 694 685 1001
- Website: theatreoftheno.com
Premiere: Friday, September 20
(Special Offer: 20 tickets available for €5 at the box office. Arrive by 19:00)
"I don't love her. We're getting married in two months. That's how it is."
THEATRE OF THE NO, Athens' first English-language theatre, presents the dark comedy "Bachelors and Bachelorettes" by renowned playwright, director, and writer Hanoch Levin under the direction of Vassiliou Vassia. The show premieres on Friday, September 20, and will run until October 28.
This witty, dark, and delightfully twisted comedy boldly exposes the absurdity of human nature through our desperate need to avoid loneliness, posing essential and thought- provoking questions: Is companionship a real need or just a fear of being alone? Does love truly matter in a relationship? Is intimacy an inner necessity or merely a way to overcome insecurities?
Z is about to marry F, whom he firmly declares to the audience he does not love. F leaves Z and connects with X, who was involved with M, who is now with O. O knows about M’s past with X and later with Z, but insists on staying with her. Z leaves M and briefly returns to F, but F goes back to X, and Z returns to M, all while O remains present. And thus, the labyrinth of desires, fears, and insecurities never ends.
Director's Note
My introduction to Hanoch Levin’s work is relatively recent, yet it has been an eye-opening and promising experience. A brilliant writer doesn’t need to tackle something complex or grand to draw us into his world. Levin writes simply about loneliness. His characters are impulsive, insecure, and instinctive, surrendering unconditionally to their fleeting desires, which they label as love. In truth, the concepts of love, connection, intimacy, and communication are absent from the play. Bold physical unions are followed by utter boredom and disappointment, and this cycle seems to have no end.
The play underscores the ridiculousness of human nature’s attempts to obtain what it believes is essential. This ignorance of our absurdity proves that the world is inhabited by children trapped in adult bodies. We are creatures of habit, desire, passion, need, fear, and insecurity. The continuous external and internal conflicts caused by daily experiences constantly bring to the forefront the complexity of human beings who struggle to fit within the narrow social boundaries and the intricate rules of their time.
What do Z, F, X, M, and O really want? To be happy. In short, the most difficult thing. Does happiness simply depend on our choices? Perhaps the broader concept of happiness doesn't meet the conditions of our personal happiness.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
Director, Movement Supervision, Set & Lighting Design, Art Direction: Vasia Vassileiou
Assistant Director: Efsta Sachla
Cast: Anestis Ischnopoulos, Katerina Klavdianou, George Housakos, Georgia Griva, Adamantios Tirel
Original Music: Philippos Peristeris
Photography/Video: Nikos Pagonakis
Assistant Producer: Giannis Tsoukas
Assistant Set Designer: Maviana Margoudh
Mask Creation: Vasilis Lagas
Poster: Marilena Girlemi
Communications Manager: Eleftheria Sakareli
Production: Fail Better Productions
PERFORMANCE DATES
September 20th – October 28th
Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday at 8:00 PM
Duration: 85 minutes
THEATRE OF THE NO, Athens' first English-language theatre, presents the dark comedy "Bachelors and Bachelorettes" by renowned playwright, director, and writer Hanoch Levin under the direction of Vassiliou Vassia. The show premieres on Friday, September 20, and will run until October 28.
This witty, dark, and delightfully twisted comedy boldly exposes the absurdity of human nature through our desperate need to avoid loneliness, posing essential and thought- provoking questions: Is companionship a real need or just a fear of being alone? Does love truly matter in a relationship? Is intimacy an inner necessity or merely a way to overcome insecurities?
Z is about to marry F, whom he firmly declares to the audience he does not love. F leaves Z and connects with X, who was involved with M, who is now with O. O knows about M’s past with X and later with Z, but insists on staying with her. Z leaves M and briefly returns to F, but F goes back to X, and Z returns to M, all while O remains present. And thus, the labyrinth of desires, fears, and insecurities never ends.
Director's Note
My introduction to Hanoch Levin’s work is relatively recent, yet it has been an eye-opening and promising experience. A brilliant writer doesn’t need to tackle something complex or grand to draw us into his world. Levin writes simply about loneliness. His characters are impulsive, insecure, and instinctive, surrendering unconditionally to their fleeting desires, which they label as love. In truth, the concepts of love, connection, intimacy, and communication are absent from the play. Bold physical unions are followed by utter boredom and disappointment, and this cycle seems to have no end.
The play underscores the ridiculousness of human nature’s attempts to obtain what it believes is essential. This ignorance of our absurdity proves that the world is inhabited by children trapped in adult bodies. We are creatures of habit, desire, passion, need, fear, and insecurity. The continuous external and internal conflicts caused by daily experiences constantly bring to the forefront the complexity of human beings who struggle to fit within the narrow social boundaries and the intricate rules of their time.
What do Z, F, X, M, and O really want? To be happy. In short, the most difficult thing. Does happiness simply depend on our choices? Perhaps the broader concept of happiness doesn't meet the conditions of our personal happiness.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
Director, Movement Supervision, Set & Lighting Design, Art Direction: Vasia Vassileiou
Assistant Director: Efsta Sachla
Cast: Anestis Ischnopoulos, Katerina Klavdianou, George Housakos, Georgia Griva, Adamantios Tirel
Original Music: Philippos Peristeris
Photography/Video: Nikos Pagonakis
Assistant Producer: Giannis Tsoukas
Assistant Set Designer: Maviana Margoudh
Mask Creation: Vasilis Lagas
Poster: Marilena Girlemi
Communications Manager: Eleftheria Sakareli
Production: Fail Better Productions
PERFORMANCE DATES
September 20th – October 28th
Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday at 8:00 PM
Duration: 85 minutes