Paola Hadjilambri: A woman of substance

One of the island’s most celebrated actresses talks to Paul Lambis about her heart-wrenching performance as three abused women in her latest play

From being an Olympic priestess, participating in one of the world’s most ancient rituals, to portraying women of substance both on- and off-screen, Paola Hadjilambri is an ambassador for her homeland, striving for perfection in everything that she does.

Having recently returned from New York with her hit English language play, Tears of Silence – a heart wrenching drama on domestic abuse and human trafficking, Paola shone a light on these dark and relevant complex issues when her production premiered in Cyprus earlier this month.

The gripping new theatrical production, based on Cypriot author Aria Socratous’ best-selling novel of the same name, received stellar reviews, and Paola’s performance as three abused women from diverse countries – all victims of predators who run sex trafficking rings – left no room for failure.

“The characters I portrayed on stage were based on the lives of many women who have been victims of violence and human trafficking,” Paola says. “Knowing that there are highly organised criminal networks out there profiting from the exploitation of individuals and their weaknesses is quite upsetting.”

As an actress, Paola Hadjilambri finds purpose in performing challenging roles rooted in identity. Her performance on Broadway as Melina Mercouri – the actress, activist and politician who spearheaded the campaign for the repatriation of the Parthenon marbles from the British Museum – earned Cyprus first place out of 130 countries competing in the United Solo Theatre Festival in New York.

As an honorary winner, Paola was invited to return to the event a year later, this time portraying the legendary American Greek soprano Maria Callas, in a tell-all tale of love and deception.

“I enjoy playing roles that draw on my Greek heritage as well as ones with true social significance,” she says. “Roles that challenge us to do something by expanding our understanding and changing our perspective.”

After graduating from the Drama School of the National Theatre of Greece in 2001, Paola was offered the unique role of Olympic priestess by her mentor, dance teacher and choreographer at the time, Maria Hors. “I accepted without hesitation,” she told the Cyprus Mail. “It was much more than a role for me. It was one of the most formative experiences of my life.”

In one of her written chronicles, Maria Hors described what she looked for when selecting the priestesses for the ancient ritual of the lighting ceremony. “The selection is based on manners, kindness, one’s inner soul and beauty. A priestess needs to have a graceful poise and a face becoming of a Greek.”

Maria Hors designed the ceremony for the Athens Games when the Olympics “came home” in 2004. “We felt the weight of Greece on our shoulders,” Paola recalls. “The Athens Games was something special for all of us.”

Paola was thrust into the limelight soon after her return to her homeland, with a high-profile job presenting primetime news on national television.

While juggling a television career, raising her son as a single mother, and pursuing a master’s degree in international relations and politics, Paola seized every opportunity to perform significant roles on stage that would encourage social discourse, dialogue, and potential social change.

Her latest performance raises public knowledge about the dangers of falling prey to trafficking perpetrators, as well as the societal and human costs of human trafficking. “The aim of Tears of Silence is to educate the public about the true nature of the crime and its consequences,” Paola explains. “Due to the complex nature of the crime, perpetrators often operate unnoticed, and those who suffer are not likely to self-identify as victims of human trafficking.”

According to Paola, trafficking victims do not always see themselves as victims, often blaming themselves for their situation. “This makes discovering this crime more difficult because victims rarely self-report, and the time and resources required to uncover violations can be significant.”

The show lasted approximately an hour, but the messages it imparted will resonate much longer. Now firmly established as one of the island’s most celebrated actresses of her generation, Paola Hadjilambri delivered another astounding performance that was joyously received in the room – a culmination of a stellar, still-vibrant career capped by some of the very best work she has ever done on stage.

In a satisfying end to the play, Paola reminded the audience of a woman’s significance in society, and a woman’s life is her own to choose. “We need to honour the strengths of all those helpless women, often speechless because their hearts are too tired for words,” Paola added. “Silence is a woman’s loudest cry. We should never forget that.”

The next performance of Tears of Silence will take place at the Synergeio Performing Arts Centre in Limassol, on Sunday 10 April at 7pm.
Ticket enquiries and reservations: +357 99 54 94 24