A play by French playwright Philippe Minyana is arriving soon in the capital as part of the Nicosia International Festival. On November 2 a production in Greek will bring the chilling story to life and will include surtitles in English.

The Little Girl in the Dark Forest is an artistic composition of theatre, micro-sculpture, video art, cinema and music that took part in the Avignon Festival 2021. It is a free adaptation of the myth Procne and Philomela from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, which is also found in the lost Sophocles’ tragedy Tereus.

The dark story takes place when the young king Tereus sexually assaults his wife’s little sister Philomela inside a hut in the dark forest. He cuts off her tongue and leaves her alone and helpless. He returns to the palace and tells his wife Procne that her little sister drowned at sea. Twelve months later, and while the queen is still in mourning, an old woman appears in the palace and reveals to her the king’s monstrous deeds. She unfolds a scarf embroidered by the little girl, whose red threads tell the story of the crime and points the way to the hut. The queen runs to find her sister and together they plan their revenge.

November 2’s production has been translated by Dimitra Kondylaki as part of the Theatrical Translation Laboratory of the French Institute and directed by Pantelis Dentakis featuring just a two-member cast.

Little Girl in the Dark Forest

Philippe Minyana’s play adaptation. Part of the Nicosia International Festival. November 2. Nicosia Municipal Theatre, Nicosia. 8.30pm. In Greek with surtitles in English. www.soldoutticketbox.com