Production Overview
- Play Title: When We Dead Awaken (Otan Xypnisoume Emeis oi Nekroi)
- Original Playwright: Henrik Ibsen (his final work, published in 1899)
- Translation & Adaptation: Emmanuel G. Mavros
- Director: Emmanuel G. Mavros
- Cast: Antonis Antonakos, Natalia Vogiatzoglou, Ira Damigou, Christina Konstantinidou, Savvas Poyiatzis, Evi Tsaklanou
- Production Company: Medea Pictures
- Venue: Dromos Theatre (Kypseli, Athens)
- Genre: Existential Drama / Symbolist Theatre
Plot Summary
The story revolves around Arnold Rubek, an aging, world-renowned sculptor who feels emotionally drained and disillusioned with his life and artistic legacy. Accompanied by his young, dissatisfied wife, Maia, Rubek stays at a coastal mountain resort in Norway, feeling that his passion for art and living has completely died.
His life shifts dramatically when he encounters Irene, his former muse and model for his masterpiece, “Resurrection Day.” Irene accuses Rubek of taking her soul and discarding her after finishing his sculpture, leaving her spiritually “dead.” As Maia leaves to explore the wild mountains with a rough hunter named Ulfheim, Rubek and Irene confront their past, their suppressed romantic feelings, and their shared regret over sacrificing love and real life for artistic ambition. In a desperate attempt to truly live before it is too late, Rubek and Irene ascend to the snow-covered mountain peaks, seeking spiritual rebirth.
Key Themes & Context
- Art vs. Life: The central tragedy lies in Rubek’s realization that in pursuing artistic greatness, he sacrificed actual living, human relationships, and genuine passion.
- Symbolism & Existentialism: As Ibsen’s last dramatic epilogue, the play explores the emotional cost of ambition, spiritual awakening, and the state of being “dead” while still physically alive.
- Intimate Staging: Directed by Emmanuel G. Mavros, the production utilizes the compact space of Dromos Theatre to create a stark, moody, and deeply psychological atmosphere, focusing on the raw confrontation between the characters.
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