Phaedra in Flames
About the play
Phaedra, the wife of Theseus, king of Athens, is exhausted. She is tired of concealing her own desires for years, of playing the role of a queen pampered by the love of the people, and of living in the shadow of her heroic husband who defeated the Minotaur. She seems unable to find her place, feeling like nothing more than an accessory to her husband. Surrounded by the rigid walls of the palace, she becomes trapped.
The arrival of a new bride, the enchanting Perse, turns everything upside down. Phaedra seems to get caught in a labyrinth and, after a long sleep, awakens gradually—becoming increasingly daring and remembering what she had long forgotten: herself. Obsessed with the struggle for power, and under the control of religious and state authorities, Phaedra’s pursuit of happiness becomes a deadly weapon.
Through this modern interpretation of the Greek myth, the playwright and director Nino Kharatishvili explores the complex relationships between personal freedom and societal norms, as well as political and religious intrigues.
Author | Nino Kharatishvili
Director | Nino Kharatishvili
Set & Costume Designers | Yuli B. Novikova, Guna Mayer
Cast | Nata Murvanidze, Nino Burduli / Baia Dvalishvili, Zaal Chikobava, Natuka Kakhidze, Anano Makharadze, Gaga Shishinashvili
Age restriction | 16+
Duration | 160 minutes
Latecomers will not be admitted