Lapis Lazuli | Espoonteatteri

Contemporary Theatre

Werewolf show: a surreal extravaganza

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Production
Εuripides Laskaridis // OSMOSIS
Venue
&Louhi, Espoo Cultural Centre
How to get there & services
Duration
75 min, no intermission
Language
Nonverbal
Surtitles
No surtitles
Notes
haze, strobe lights, loud sounds

A bearded person, dressed in various colourful scarves, flowers and jewellery, is holding a skeleton in their arms.

About

A werewolf goes to see a doctor: all is not well.

So begins Greek director-performer Euripides Laskaridis’s production that combines dance, theatre, and visual arts. The performance blends slapstick comedy, surrealism, and the haunting ambiance of 1920s horror films.Laskaridis has an uncanny ability to transform ordinary items and situations into magic.

Comedy, grotesque, and horror are combined in idiosyncratic and unprecedented ways. The performance is propelled by the potential for continuous shapeshifting and the infinite ridiculousness of all things.

The work is inspired by the eponymous mesmerising deep-blue semi-precious stone, lapis lazuli. Known for its fragility and its unpredictable behaviour under pressure, the ‘Stone from Heaven’ was believed by alchemists to have an origin that was both earthly and celestial.

Laskaridis’s distinctive works are fusions of genres and styles that are both humorous and poignant. Dubbed the "enfant terrible" of Greek choreography by the French newspaper Libération, he is the originator of a unique hybrid form of spectacle never previously seen on a Finnish stage.

His previous works Relic (2015), Titans (2017), and Elenit (2019) toured charming audiences worldwide. Lapis Lazuli premiered in April 2024 in Athens, Greece. The production is an international co-production with &Espoo joining forces with for example Onassis Stegi (Greece) and Théâtre de la Ville (France) along with other renowned European festivals and organizations.

The performance is brought to Finland with the support of Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.

What others are saying

“New, colorful transformations turn the flirtation with danger into an ode to nostalgic horror films. Beneath all the masquerades, deeper themes such as the impact of fear, violence, and trauma on dreams and memories emerge. “What a difficult life, what a beautiful show...”Annette Embrechts / de Volkskrant

“Laskaridis’ LAPIS LAZULI comes in a way straight from the future, it almost screams in the face of the mundane and leaves a legacy on stage of a daring artist, determined to continue creating with defiance leaving aside the traditional conservative clarity that contemporary theatre unfortunately often seeks.”Christos Tsifas / I Avgi

“LAPIS LAZULI by the masterful Euripides Laskaridis is an unrelenting allegory for the transformative power of theatre—a testament to the expansive intellect of theatrical performance. An onnagata werewolf and a seahorse who perished in his arms.”Giorgos Sampatakakis, Associate Professor of Drama and Performance / University of Patras

“A performance of high aesthetic qualities! A unique extravaganza that vibrates all the senses. It’s the ultimate “surprise” that Laskaridis has in store for the viewers.”Dimitris Kalantzis / Utopiazone

On stage, two masked people dance next to a bearded person holding a skeleton.

Credits

Conceived & directed	Euripides Laskaridis
with	Angelos Alafogiannis, Maria Bregianni / Eftychia Stefanou, Euripides Laskaridis, Dimitris Matsoukas & Spyros Ntogas
Original music & sound design	Giorgos Poulios
Dramaturgy consultant	Alexandros Mistriotis
Set design	Sotiris Melanos
Lighting design	Stefanos Droussiotis
Special acoustic & electronic sound inventions, sounding objects	Yorgos Stenos
Artistic collaborator – costumes	Christos Delidimos & Alegia Papageorgiou
Props & special constructions	Konstantinos Chaldaios
Artistic collaborator – set	Vagelis Xenodochidis
Tour artistic collaborator	Marianna Kavallieratos
Technical director	Konstantinos Margkas
Sound engineers	Martha Kapazoglou, Giorgos Chanos & Kostis Pavlopoulos
Lighting technician & special lighting constructions	Giorgos Ierapetritis
Props & special constructions assistant	Timothy Laskaratos
Photography	Pinelopi Gerasimou, Elina Giounanli & Julian Mommert
OSMOSIS operations coordinator	Aristea Stefanoudaki
Executive production, tour and production management	Polyplanity Productions / Yolanda Markopoulou & Vicky Strataki
A project by	Euripides Laskaridis & the OSMOSIS performing arts company [GR]
Produced by	Onassis Stegi [GR]
First performed at	Onassis Stegi, Athens, April 2024
Supported by	the Fondation d'Entreprise Hermès [FR]
Co-produced by	Théâtre de la Ville [FR], Théâtre de Liège [BE], Espoo Theatre Finland [FI], Teatros del Canal [ES], Teatro della Pergola Firenze [IT], Festival Aperto / Fondazione I Teatri Reggio Emilia [IT] & the Big Pulse Dance Alliance festivals : Julidans [NL], Torinodanza Festival / Teatro Stabile di Torino – Teatro Nazionale [IT] & One Dance Festival [BG]
Co-funded by	the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union
With the support of	NEON Organization for Culture and Development [GR] & Megaron – the Athens Concert Hall [GR]
With the financial support of	the Greek Ministry of Culture
Brought to Finland with the support of	Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation [FI]

Pricing

Standard35 €
Small group (4+)32 €
Pensioner30 €
Groups (20+)30 €
Student, unemployed, under 2525 €
Theatre professional (10 days before)20 €

Εuripides Laskaridis

Director-performer Euripides Laskaridis operates at the intersections of dance, theatre, and the visual arts. His works are showcased by leading performing arts institutions worldwide, offering a distinctive fusion of genres and styles that are both humorous and strangely poignant. Dubbed the "enfant terrible" of Greek choreography by Libération, Euripides is also a recipient of the inaugural Pina Bausch Fellowship.

Currently, he continues his research on the themes of ridicule and transformation, with his current stage work, LAPIS LAZULI, which premiered in April 2024.

Professional head shot of Εuripides Laskaridis smiling at the camera

Genre

About

What others are saying

Credits

Conceived & directed

with

Original music & sound design

Dramaturgy consultant

Set design

Lighting design

Special acoustic & electronic sound inventions, sounding objects

Artistic collaborator – costumes

Props & special constructions

Artistic collaborator – set

Tour artistic collaborator

Technical director

Sound engineers

Lighting technician & special lighting constructions

Props & special constructions assistant

Photography

OSMOSIS operations coordinator

Executive production, tour and production management

A project by

Produced by

First performed at

Supported by

Co-produced by

Co-funded by

With the support of

With the financial support of

Brought to Finland with the support of

Pricing

Εuripides Laskaridis