Stefania Goulioti is part of the distinguished cast in the touring production of Euripides’ “Herakles Mainomenos” (Herakles in Madness), directed by Dimitris Karantzas.
This production will travel across over 40 venues in Greece after its premiere in Athens. Goulioti, along with other prominent actors, brings to life the existential anguish of Euripides’ tragedy.
The play focuses on Herakles’ descent from hero to pariah through the gods’ merciless games. The narrative critiques the frailty of human existence and the overpowering force of divine and tyrannical will.
Last night’s performance of “The Madness of Hercules” at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens was nothing short of sublime; a powerful convergence of myth, madness, and raw emotion.
Under the inspired direction of Dimitris Karantzas, the tragedy of Euripides was brought to life with an intensity that shook the open-air venue to its core. The ensemble cast, led by Pygmaliona Dadakarides as a tormented Heracles and supported by George Gallos, Stefania Gouliotis, Iro Bezou, and Anna Kalaitzidou, among others, delivered a performance that left the audience breathless, grappling with the profound themes of divine cruelty and human frailty.
Stefania Goulioti delivered a standout performance last night, capturing the audience with her intense, nuanced portrayal. As the anguished Megara, wife of Heracles, Goulioti brought a remarkable depth and complexity to the role, making her one of the evening’s most memorable figures. Her performance was marked by a delicate balance of strength and vulnerability, portraying a woman caught in the brutal grip of fate, struggling to hold her family together amidst chaos and despair.
Goulioti’s command of the stage was undeniable. Every movement, every line, carried a weight of emotion that pulled the audience into the core of her character’s suffering. Her chemistry with Pygmaliona Dadakarides as Heracles added a poignant layer to the tragedy, especially in the moments leading up to Heracles’ descent into madness. She navigated the play’s shifting tones, from hope to terror to heartbreak, with an extraordinary range that left the audience captivated. Her performance was not just an embodiment of Megara’s anguish but a powerful meditation on the human spirit’s resilience against overwhelming odds. Goulioti’s interpretation will surely be remembered as one of the highlights of this production’s journey across Greece.
The tragedy, with the imposing backdrop of the Odeon of Herod Atticus, captured the full spectrum of Euripides’ vision: from the triumphant return of Heracles to Thebes to the harrowing descent into madness, as he is manipulated by the gods into a tragic act of violence against his own family. The direction by Karantzas emphasized the stark contrast between the hero’s former glory and his ultimate downfall, while the minimalist set and evocative lighting served to focus attention on the intense psychological drama unfolding on stage. As the final moments played out, the audience sat in stunned silence before erupting into applause. The play now continues its journey across Greece, promising to bring this timeless, searing exploration of human vulnerability and divine caprice to many more stages, where it is sure to provoke, disturb, and enthrall.
By Elena Panayides
Kathimerini
“Stefania Goulioti, who plays the role of Megara, is praised for her intense performance, embodying the tragic figure of a mother preparing her children for death. Her portrayal is noted for its deep emotional resonance and ability to command silence from the audience, contributing significantly to the play’s overall impact.”
www.kathimerini.gr/culture/563195989/skoteines-oi-voyles-ton-theon-2/
O Anagnostis
“Stefania Goulioti, with every syllable of the words she speaks, conveys the nobility of her position and origin, either in her heartbreak (the shocking scene where she goes to bury her children before Lykos kills them), or in her joy (when Hercules appears.)”
In.gr
“Stefania Gouliotis is impressive as Megara, a calm force, with moderation and a steady voice that kept you glued to her every move.”
Athinorama
“The presence of Stefania Gouliotis as Megara is piercing, the tyrannical portrayal of Lykos by Aeneas Tsamatis is somewhat sketchy, Iro Bezou (Iris) and Anna Kalaitzidou (Lyssa) are exuberant and extroverted , as they orchestrate the hero’s crash with pleasure, the Dance is beautiful (Yiannis Klinis, Gal Robisa, Babis Galiatsatos, Thanasis Raftopoulos, Antonis Antonopoulos): few members perhaps for the needs of the tour, however his small composition intensifies the mental desolation of the work.”
www.athinorama.gr/theatre/theatre-reviews/3033005/3033005-iraklis-mainomenos/
Kulturosupa
“Stefania Goulioti in the role of Megara is good, as always. Goulioti, known for her ability to deliver roles with immediacy and strength, did not disappoint this time either. Her performance was full of emotion and intensity, managing to convey the pain and despair of a mother who sees her family being threatened.”
Viewtag
“Next to him, Stefania Goulioti impresses with the stoicism she shows as Megara in handling her grief.”
https://www.viewtag.gr/iraklis-mainomenos-ton-d-karant/
Bookpress
“Megara (the impressive Stefania Gouliotis in the role) asks Lykos for permission to dress the children in death robes to face their executioners. Inside the hermetic “box” of the stage design, she cries for her children’s lost opportunities for marriage and happiness. And, while Amphitryon laments the futility of the life he lived, Megara (in verses 492-494) invokes the miracle, the reappearance of her husband from Hades: “rise, come, and my shadow” she says, asking her restoration of the natural order of things. “
Kavala Web News
“Stefania Goulioti, as Megara, has kindness and warmth. She interprets without any gaps, with comfort and precision, with a genuine tragic style the entire scale of the heroine’s feelings: her maternal tenderness, her mental breakdown, her heavy mourning, her black despair.”
Andro.gr
“Goulioti’s performance was rich in emotion, effectively conveying the anguish and despair of a mother who sees her family in danger.”
“Goulioti, known for her strong and direct acting, brought depth and intensity to the role. Her performance was rich with emotion, effectively conveying the anguish and despair of a mother who sees her family in great danger.“
https://www.andro.gr/empneusi/iraklis-mainomenos-theatro/
Fractalart.gr
“Stefania Goulioti, as Megara, possesses grace and warmth. She performs seamlessly, with ease and precision, embodying the full range of the heroine’s emotions with genuine tragic depth: her maternal tenderness, her emotional exhaustion, her deep grief, and her profound despair.”
DISTRIBUTION:
In a state of inner silence
that allows the right action to emerge
at the right moment
© All rights reserved 2023-2024 Stefania Goulioti
All texts by: Elena Panayides (editor & writer)
