The "Polis" and the "Political" in Contemporary Greek Drama since the Eruption of the Greek Crisis : A First Appraisal (2009-2015)

Part of : Γράμμα : περιοδικό θεωρίας και κριτικής ; Vol.22, No.2, 2014, pages 61-72

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61-72
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This article attempts to explore the way(s) contemporary Greek drama responded to social reality since the eruption of the economic crisis. Although Greek dramatists, in their struggle to redefine their relationship with the "polis," have rejected the polemical tone of traditional "political theatre," one wonders whether they have something, politically, new to propose. Focusing on the repertoire tendencies of the last five years, this paper argues that parody seems to have replaced the organized critique of social relations. Moreover, examining plays of contemporary authors, we detect an all pervasive determinist, passive and frequently self-destructive spirit. With this in mind, the question that seeks for an answer can be summed up this way: Can the Greek play re-imagine its role as a therapeutic mirror, rather than as a merely punitive and vindictive one?
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