Lapis Lazuli
The work of 'imagination magician' Euripides Laskaridis has been described as surreal, insane and Fellinian. His latest, Lapis Lazuli, is a poetic and grotesque fable exploring humanity's greatness and shortcomings, a burlesque tale in which chaos takes centre stage. Starring: a werewolf.
Festival Julidans
Programme section Julidans On Stage
Dutch premiere
Location Frascati
Venue Frascati 1
Run time 75 minutes
Genre Dance
Language Language no problem
Please note the performance uses strong lighting effects including a stroboscope.
Lapis Lazuli
From Titian to Tutankhamun's death mask, the stone lapis lazuli has inspired mankind for centuries due to its deep blue colour and mystical properties. On one hand, the stone symbolises the connection to nature and creation, while on the other hand it represents fantasies, myths, the unknown and the inexplicable.
In Lapis Lazuli, a monstrous hybrid emerges from the depths of the imagination: the werewolf. This creature, which transforms into a bloodthirsty wolf at full moon, takes over the stage, bathed in a mesmerising, vibrant blue light. This light evokes associations with Yves Klein's iconic blue pigment, as well as Japanese art and medieval frescoes.
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Fascinated by early black-and-white horror films, Laskaridis embraces the two-dimensional studio sets and overly dramatic acting. The eerie, fog-soaked gothic imagery provides the ideal setting for his own creepy werewolf who explores the stage and shows its most fearsome and ferocious side, while slowly revealing its vulnerability and sensitivity. Thus, Lapis Lazuli
highlights man's inner struggle between primitive instincts and the higher faculties of intellect and spirit.
Euripides Laskaridis, recipient of the 2016 Pina Bausch Fellowship, fills his work with bizarre creatures and imposing set designs that challenge conventions and explore extremes. A Greek exponent of the theatre of the absurd, he embraces two dominant themes: ridicule and transformation.
About Euripides Laskaridis
Euripides Laskaridis is a director and performer known for exploring ridicule and transformation in his work. Laskaridis studied theater in Athens and directing in New York. He has been performing since 1995 and has worked with directors such as Dimitris Papaioannou and Robert Wilson. In 2009, he founded the performing arts company OSMOSIS and has directed award-winning plays and short films. His works have toured internationally at acclaimed festivals around the world. He received a Pina Bausch Fellowship and German magazine Tanz included him in their 2017 list of promising talents, while he recently joined the select team of Onassis Fellows. Euripides Laskaridis will continue his exploration of the absurd and transformative, working closely with OSMOSIS' core creative team: Angelos Mentis (costume), Giorgos Poulios (music), Alexandros Mistriotis (dramaturgy), Eliza Alexandropoulou (lighting) and Loukas Bakas (set).
Credits
conceived & directed by Euripides Laskarides with Angelos Alafogiannis, Maria Bregianni/Eftychia Stefanou, Dimitris Matsoukas, Spyros Ntogas
original music and sound design Giorgos Poulios
dramaturgy consultant Alexandros Mistriotis
set design Sotiris Melanos
lighting design Stefanos Droussiotis
special acoustic & electronic sound inventions, sounding objects Yorgos Stenos
costumes Christos Delidimos, Alegia Papageorgiou
props & special constructions Konstantinos Chaldaios
artistic collaborator-set Vagelis Xenodochidis
movement consultant Nikos Dragonas
assistants to the director Charikleia Petraki, Yannis Savouidakis
tour Artistic Collaborator Marianna Kavallieratos
artistic collaborator & rehearsal stand-in Telis Tellakis
artistic collaborator Onassis Air Fellowship 2022 Research – Costume Aggelos Mentis
artistic collaborator Onassis Air Fellowship 2022 Research – Set Loukas Bakas, Filanthi Bougatsou
technical director Konstantinos Margkas
sound engineers Martha Kapazoglou, Giorgos Chanos, Kostis Pavlopoulos
lighting technician & special lighting constructions Giorgos Ierapetritis
props & special constraction assistant Timothy Laskaratos
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production assistant Nikos Charalampidis
production runners Theologos Kampouris, Lida Manousou Alexiou
assistant director intern Katerina Tsolou
set design intern & logo design Konstantinos Papantonis
props interns Aphrodite Psychouli, Ilektra Anichini Pantalaki, Efthymis Gronthos
costumes intern Ernesta Chatzilemonidou
dramaturgy intern Jimmy Machai
directorial feedback – tech weeks Talya Rubin
lights stand-in Alexandra Drandaki
osmosis operations coordinator & communications editor Euklida Velaj
executive production, tour & production management Polyplanity Productions/ Yolanda Markopoulou & Vicky Strataki
a project by Euripides Laskaridis & the OSMOSIS performing arts company
produced by Onassis Stegi (Greece)
first performed at Onassis Stegi, Athens, April 2024
supported by The Foundation D’Entreprise Hermes
co-produced by Theatre de la Ville (France), Theatre de Liege (Belgium), Espoo Theatre Finland (Finland), Teatros del Canal (Spain), Teatro Della Pergola Firenze (Italy), Festival Aperto/ Fondazione Teatri Reggio Emilia (Italy), Big Pulse Dance Alliance, Festivals: Julidans (Netherlands), Torinodanza Festival/ Teatro Stabile di Torino – Teatro Nazionale (Italy), One Dance Festival (Bulgaria)
co-funded by The Creative Europe Programme of the European Union
with the support of NEON Organization for Culture and Development
with support of Megaron - The Athens Concert Hall
with the financial support of The Greek Ministry of Culture