Theater Night Out 5 : Skylight at Emporikon Theater

It’s been a while since I last went to a theater and I had a certain itch. And what better way to spend Saturday night than go to a one. Athens has more than 100 scenes ( no kidding ) and it is into the culture of people to go out to see a play.

I browsed through the choices and chose Skylight by John Hare at Emporikon Theater ( Στα ελληνικα είναι Ο Φεγγιτης στο θεατρο Εμπορικον). I had seen the leading actor Dimitris Kataleifos last year and I know he is great and the director Konstantinos Markoulakis is a famous director/actor in Greece and his work is always above average.

The play itself was written by British dramatist David Hare. It premiered in the West End at the Cottesloe Theatre in 1995, moving to the Wyndham's Theatre in 1996. The play opened on Broadway in 1996 and again played the West End in 1997 and 2014. The 2014 production transferred to Broadway in 2015. It has won many awards and in Greece was first introduced in 1996-97 at Exarcheia Theater by Takis Bouteris and Annita Dekavala.

An 18-year-old girl Kyra Hollins is walking for the first time at King’s Road in London. She sees a sign that a waitress is wanted and gets the job. She manages to stay with the family of the restaurant owners for many years. In the meantime, finishes university, helps them grow their business, teaches their children and has a 6-year love affair with the owner named Tom Sergeant.

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Their relationship is discovered by his wife Alice and Kyra is forced to leave. Alice after that dies of cancer and Tom becomes bitter and more or less a prick to everyone and mostly to his 18-year-old son Edward.

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The play starts 3 years after Alice’s death where Tom visits Kyra with the goal to rekindle their relationship.

Obviously, I won’t spoil the rest of the story.

The play is very well written and the translation of Mirella Papaoikonomou and direction of Markoulakis are based on realism. The performances of the two leading actors Dimitris Kataleifos who plays Tom and Loukia Michalopoulou who plays Kyra are convincing. Supporting actor Michalis Panadis is good in his role as the son Edward.

Left to right : Dimitris Kataleifos , Loukia Michalopoulou and Michalis Panadis image source

Music by Minos Manchas is melancholic, dramatic and plays its role to create the right atmosphere.

Overall it was a good show. On the surface, we have a love story but beyond that, we see the huge differences between two people. Tom is a self-centered capitalist and Kyra is an idealistic school teacher that wants to contribute to the world. Some stereotypes are presented and I wouldn’t agree with them . At least not completely.

That was from me. I have already purchased tickets for the next two plays and can’t wait to see them.

Have you been to a play ?
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Join the fun.

Would you recommend it? – YES
Would you see it again? – NO

And until the next Theatre Night Out …
Be Healthy, Smile and Steem.