A quartet of original one-act premieres in Cyprus

The island’s theatre scene will welcome new productions in the next couple of months and while the majority are in Greek, a new series of shows arrives in English in Nicosia and Limassol.

Under the title, Just Tell Them Santa’s Dead, a brand-new series of original performances written and directed by Thadd Correia will premiere this month highlighting different social issues and events and real-life hard-to-shallow pills.

“Our current project, Just Tell Them Santa’s Dead,” says the team behind the performances, “is an original series of one acts attempting to reclaim and modernise themes explored by classical playwrights such as Shakespeare, Euripides and Sophocles. Featuring a balanced cast of characters that include LGBTQ+ and minority representation, we believe that these pieces are an important contribution to the Cypriot theatrical milieu in which LGBTQ+ and minority communities are still either under or inappropriately represented. These one acts are, fundamentally, tragedies. Like Medea, Hamlet and Oedipus, a series of fated events and/or their own actions lead the characters and the audience down dark paths where the audience is invited to question the morality of the characters’ actions and our role in guarding, challenging or changing traditional societal values.”

Two performances will take place in each city. The Nicosia theatre evenings will be hosted at Theatro Dentro on March 31 and April 1 while the Limassol performances will be held at Synergeio Limassol on April 7 and 8. The four one-act plays are Gas Can Kid, Lazy(R)Us, Just Tell Them Santa’s Dead and A.K.A.M.A.I.

Gas Can Kid is set at a rural Ontario gas station where Kristin and her co-worker Calvin dream of something better. An unexpected twist of fate brings their fragile expectations crashing down. Lazy(R)Us portrays a gay couple’s relationship that is tested as they struggle to deal with the very real repercussions of clinical depression. In Just Tell Them Santa’s Dead, a brother shows up unexpectedly at his sister’s doorstep during a particularly difficult Christmas season. Lastly, A.K.A.M.A.I. features a couple in a long-term relationship who negotiates their separation.

Just Tell Them Santa’s Dead

Original one-act plays. March 31-April 1. Theatro Dentro, Nicosia. April 7-8. Synergeio, Limassol. 8pm. In English. €15. www.soldouttickets.com.cy