Marivaux comedy in Patras
When does a production of a classic play become the ground for a performance which, without betraying the original, puts forward modern-day issues, such as the hunt for money, the complexity of human relationships and the relativity, if not the illusion, of sexual preferences? Director Vassilis Papavassileiou offers a charming answer in Pierre de Marivaux’s love comedy «La Fausse Suivante» (The False Servant), in a production by the Patras Regional and Municipal Theater based on a translation by Yiannis Varveris. Like all Marivaux plays, the plot evolves around a game of relationships, sudden twists as well as the different masks worn by the heroes – games nurtured by passion, but also the desire to get rich, to be social accepted and powerful. Marivaux’s works can easily be misunderstood today, but the director developed a brave theatrical way to put on stage issues that concern a contemporary audience. In every scene, in nearly every line, Papavassileiou reveals shades and secondary themes, things either stemming from the text or from the presentation on stage. The director’s fresh vision is supported by a great cast, including Christos Loulis, Alexandra Sakellaropoulou, Athina Maximou, Chronis Pavlidis and Yiannis Harisis.
