Μυστήριο 11 / MA

Mystery 11
MA

theatre

Directed by Romeo Castellucci

The leading theatrical event of this fall

2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture presents Mystery 11 ΜΑ, the new work by Romeo Castellucci. Two thousand years after the Eleusinian Mysteries, the internationally renowned Italian director introduces a contemporary ritual, in the context of a site-specific performance specially designed for the Eleusis archaeological site.

ΜΑ - a one-word title interpreted in multiple languages: the first clear word of an infant calling its mother; the root of the word ''matrice,'' i.e. the womb which opens itself to earth in order to generate, and the mould that gives form to lifeless matter; moreover, in both Italian and Greek, the word MA is used as an exclamation of objection, opposition, but also as a linguistic marker of an oath, an appeal to the divine.

Castellucci's protagonist is a non-Greek matricide, a foreigner. His arrival at the archaeological site undermines and subverts the original cult, which forbade entry to anyone who had stained their hands with blood. Laying hands on a mother was tantamount to subverting the order of the universe − since a mother gives birth, she can also bring death; a child, as it cannot give birth to its mother, it cannot kill her either. Barbarians were also prohibited to participate in the Eleusinian Mysteries, because their language was limited and thus had no notion of logos (discourse), of words and silence; they also had no notion of rhythm, which distributes meanings, expectations, pulses and pauses - the measure that restrains and orders chaos.

Without resorting to a representation of the archaic ritual according to archaeological typology, nor to a contemporary re-interpretation and re-articulation of the history of the Eleusinian Mysteries, Romeo Castellucci places the uninitiated, the barbarians and the matricides at the centre of attention, to highlight the symbolism and the allegorical dimension of the drama.

In the unbroken silence of the Eleusis archaeological site - without the use of consumable energy, under broad daylight - the man, having served his sentence, crosses the sacred locus. Only through sacrilege, however, can the sanctuary be reactivated. Forgiveness, the longed-for reconciliation, can only come through desecration.

Conceived & Directed by: Romeo Castellucci
Original Music: Demetrio Castellucci
Choreography: Gloria Dorliguzzo
Dramaturgy Associate: Lucia Amara
Assistant Director: Silvano Voltolina
Assistant Choreographer: Camilla Neri
Production manager: Giulia Colla
Technical Director: Eugenio Resta
Costume Designer: Chiara Venturini
Stage Sculptures: Plastikart Studio (Istvan Zimmermann & Giovanna Amoroso)
Production: SOCIETAS (IT) & TOOFAREAST (GR)

Starring Filippo Addamo

Also participating: Alexia Dimitrakoulia, Katerina Douvi, Penny Eleftheriadou, Stefania Gogou, Dafni Kafetzi, Katerina Kalochristianaki, Stella Kapetaniou, Athina Kirousi, Gabriela Kokkini, Polena Kolia Petersen, Iro Konti, Christiana Kosiari, Konstantina Koutsaftaki, Eirini Kyriakou, Laura Mamakos, Eirini Mastora, Afroditi Michailidou, Faidra Ntagioglou, Panagiotarea Erofili, Fotini Papachristopoulou, Kristie Papadopoulou, Katerina Papandreou, Maria Psarologou, Antonia Pitoulidou Maro Stavrinou, Serafina Sideri, Rafaela Tsobanoudi, Eleni Vergeti, Chryssi Vidalaki, Ioanna Chloe Voulgari, Eleni Zafiri

And the children: Theano Christinaki, Athena Makri, Maria Passa, Emilia Roussi

Musicians: Aggelos Christakis, Renato Kushi, Menelaos Moraitis, Spiros Tzekos

A production of 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture

With the support of the Ephorate of Antiquities of West Attica

The project Mystery 11 MA is realized in the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan "Greece 2.0" with funding from the European Union - NextGenerationEU.

Accessing Elefsina

# 21klm

Just 21 km from the centre of Athens, one of the most important sacred cities of antiquity, the city of the Eleusinian Mysteries and birthplace of Aeschylus, Elefsina is the fourth European Capital of Culture hosted in Greece. The city can be accessed in the following ways:

• By car or motorbike via Attiki Odos or from Athinon Avenue, just 25 minutes from the centre of Athens
• By bus (lines 845 and 871 from Piraeus, 876 from "Ag. Marina" metro station, and 878 from Acharnes)
• By suburban train ("Magoula" stop and then by bus 863)
• By intercity coach ("Megara - Nea Peramos - Elefsina" line, starting from Asomaton Square in Thiseio)