The Dining Room by A. R. Gurney Performed by Forkis Theatre Group
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Ithaca Greece ..
 
 
The Dining Room is a collection of vignettes which at its core, have the Dining Room. Generations of strangers, the upper middle class, pass through this room for some funny, touching and rueful characterizations of this species. This play by A. R. Gurney first opened in New York on January 31st 1981. It has 57 characters and spans from the 1930s through to the more modern day. The play jumps from decades in an unrelated fashion with interlinking scenes one on top of the other. The time scene is not logical or chronological and it consists of scenes that are unrelated in terms of plot and character relationships. It's interesting and very entertaining. The humour was not lost from the English to Greek translation and with the direction of Greek Director, Pericles Vasilopoulos, the mood of this witty work, was well captured.

BEHIND THE SCENES

THE PLAY

 
The play begins with a real estate agent attempting to sell the house to a client.
 
The Dining Room becomes the place for arguments, infidelity, hopes, regrets and nostalgia. For decades, stories about the WASP have made us chuckle with one eye on ourselves and another on them. The feel of this play is that 'old time' wholesome that reflects more general emotions, but the content has enough grit and humour that we can all relate to. Issues such as parental domination and the youthful rejection of it are only a stones' throw away from home.
 
 
 
Director: Pericles Vasilopoulos | Stage Production: Matina Saranti | Production Manager: Zaxaroula Fiampoli | Sound: Dimos Kostopoulos

Cast: (In alphabetical order of first names)
  • Alexandros Taflampas
  • Anna Xristidou
  • Christina Bereri
  • Denia Vitoratou
  • Gerasimos Deftereos
  • Gerasimos Paxinos
  • Ioanna Gerouli
  • Litsa Diamantatou
  • Maria Koughiannou
  • Mina Papoulia
  • Pepi Papadopoulou
  • Pistoula Marouli
  • Tasos Griboviotis
  • Tomi Dendrinou
  • Viki Softi
  • Viki Zoidou
  • Yiannis Soldatos
  • Yiorgos Kouvaras
  • Xaris Dryghianos
  • Xaris Rigalou
Thank you to all the cast and crew for letting ithacagreece free with the camera to roam around and a special thank you to Viki from Mylos Creperie for taking the time to list all the actors and crew.
 
Tonight was the second night of the 3 day presentation and organizers were extremely happy at the turn out. Full house both nights. The Dining Room attracted, not only the usual Ithaki Theatre goers, but also a young crowd that is rarely seen at these occasions. Sponsors for the Dining Room are Fimios | The Cultural Center | Chrisanthos Karavias | The community groups of Stavros, Kioni, Platrithia and Perahori and the new printer in town (of Vathi) OKIALOS. C. Griva, D. Danis, and Y. Marneza for their contributions on the Stage Set.
What also deserves a mention is the great Programme issued for this play. The programme explains the scenes and characters with the added interest of photographs of the cast as they are now and as they were in their childhood. It was also a bonus for the non-greek speaking audience who were issued with an English text included in their programme. Ithaca is really stepping up its game. I hope Forkis continues to get support from all sections of the community. Theatre is our Winter Benefit.
 
 
 
How many of you have had a carpenter to the house to fix your dining room table and then hopping under it with him to lure and entice him into your bed. This playful scene had the audience very interested and in fits of laughter. The characterizations were so well executed that it had one thinking you were watching something that you shouldn't be.
 
Pericles Vasilopoulos puts his hand to the spot light at front of stage.
A happy audience means a happy director and a happy cast. The Ithaki Theatre group under the direction of Pericles Vasilopoulos should be very happy with their great effort on this night. It's very rewarding to watch the cast, not as amateurs in a play, but as characters capable of transporting the audience on the journey of The Dining Room.
 
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