A whole month of English-language plays

It is not very often that theatre productions in English take place on the island yet this month welcomes a couple of them. In March, three different theatre groups will present plays in English welcoming audiences in Nicosia, Limassol and Paphos.

First up is a three-night show in Emba, Paphos by the Stage One Theatre Group, which will present Goodnight Mister Tom. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, they will present David Wood’s play adapted to the stage from the book by Michelle Magorian and directed by Penny Cook. The play is heart-warming tale set during the build-up to WWII when a young boy named William Beech is evacuated from London to an idyllic English country village. There he builds a remarkable friendship with surly old Mister Tom Oakley and while all seems to be going well for William, his mother suddenly writes him to return to London for a short visit.

When Mister Tom hears nothing from William after a few weeks, he heads to London to investigate. In a nutshell, the play recalls the unlikely friendship between a young boy and Tom Oakley and the complications of parenthood. All of the performances this weekend in Paphos will begin at 7.30pm where a cast of adult and child actors will welcome theatre lovers.

Later on in the month is a Limassol production of Yasmina Reza’s play The God of Carnage. Presented by The Othellou Players, Synergeio Theatre in Limassol will host performances on March 17, 18 and 19, bringing this originally French play to life. Performed in English by a semi-amateur cast under the direction of Sue Ioannides, the play follows the story of two sets of parents. The son of one couple has hurt the son of the other at a public park and the parents meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish and the meeting dissolves into chaos.

Towards the end of the month comes another exciting theatre project in English, this one featuring an original series of one act plays. The Just Tell Them Santa’s Dead performances attempt to reclaim and modernise themes explored by classical playwrights such as Shakespeare, Euripides and Sophocles, written and directed by Thadd Correia.

“Featuring a balanced cast of characters that include LGBTQ+ and minority representation,” says the team, “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.”

The plays will first be presented in Nicosia on March 31 and April 1 at Dentro Theatre. Then, they will continue their journey on April 7 and 8 to Synergeio Theatre in Limassol.

Goodnight Mister Tom

Play based on the book by Michelle Magorian. March 9-11. Stage One theatre, Emba, Paphos. 7.30pm. €15. In English. Tel: 99-967737

God of Carnage

Play by Yasmina Reza. Directed by Sue Ioannides. March 17-19. Synergeio Theatre, Limassol. 8.30pm. €10. In English. www.soldoutticketbox.com

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