Corpus Christi pulled down following reactions
A controversial play dramatizing the story of Christ and the Apostles has been pulled down following reactions from ultranationalists and religious groups, organizers said Thursday.
Terrence McNally?s ?Corpus Christi,? directed by Albania-born Laertis Vasiliou, had been staged at the Hytirio theater in the central Athens Gazi district for the past three weeks.
?Performances of Corpus Christi at Hytirio theater will stop. It was not our intention to provoke ‘religious sentiment’ or to create tensions,? organizers said in a statement Thursday. They said they were sorry that people ended up being beaten and abused because of the play.
?We tried to go on with the play for three weeks. It was not possible… Continuing as if nothing is happening is not a solution,? they said.
The Athens premiere of the play on October 11 was cancelled following protests by members of Greece’s neofascist party Golden Dawn — including some MPs — and religious groups. One journalist was beaten by protesters after he tried to film the reactions with his mobile phone.
