Tales from Vienna Woods

The young Marianne is determined to stand up to the foolishness of the world around her.In an attempt to escape from the quagmire of everyday life, she breaks off the engagement that her father has arranged for her and risks everything to be with a charming gambler who makes his living at the racetrack.But he is the wrong horse to back, and after a difficult journey and many misadventures, leaves her exhausted and once again in the arms of her former fiancé.

Whatever she stubbornly and heroically attempted to avoid becomes her final fate, while all around her, foolishness continues its triumphant rule. “Nothing conveys the feeling of infinity as much as stupidity”:Horvath’s epigram in “Tales from the Vienna Woods” sums up this bittersweet story set in the Vienna of 1931, which examines the tragicomedy of human fate and foresees the nightmare of Nazism.This summer’s successful joint production with the Athens Festival returns to Building Η at Pireos 260 for a limited number of performances.The Artistic Director of the National Theatre, Yannis Houvardas, directs a production with live music and a stellar cast.

Translated by : Yorgos Depastas
Directed by : Yannis Houvardas
Sets & Costumes : Herbert Murauer
Music Design : Nikos Platanos
Lighting : Lefteris Pavlopoulos
Music preparation : Melina Paionidou
Assistant Directors : Natasha Triantafylli, Chrysanthi Tsintzou, Giannis Sioutis
Assistant Set and Costume Designer : Marialena Lapata

Cast  :

Alfred: Nikos Kouris
Mother: Olga Damani
Grandmother: Aleka Paizi
Ferdinand Hierlinger /Confessor/Compere: Giorgos Glastras
Valerie: Themis Bazaka
Oskar: Dimitris Imellos
Ida: Danai Themeli, Antonia Kaouri
Havlitschek / Mister: Giorgos Tzavaras
Captain: Themistoklis Panou
Marianne: Angeliki Papoulia
Zauberkonig: Akilas Karazisis
Erich: Odysseas Papaspiliopoulos
Emma/Girl at the party/ Dancer at Maxim’s /Aunt: Alkistis Poulopoulou
Aunt/Lady/Dancer at Maxim’s: Maria Saltiri
Aunt/Dancer at Maxim’s/Helene, the baroness’ sister: Louisa Kostoula
Baroness: Nikos Platanos
Aunt: Galina Bratushka
And the children in double roles: Danai Themeli, Antonia Kaouri, Filippos Korniotis, Soma Badekas, Maximos Bolotas, Filippos Tsiaparas