In October, Théâtre de l’Aléna in the city of Liège will host a series of performances of the play «L’Euphorbier» (Spurge), based on a text by Kherson playwright Oksana Hrytsenko. This is reported on the theatre’s website.
According to the description, «L’Euphorbier» is based on real events. The story unfolds in a village in southern Ukraine under Russian occupation. At its centre are three generations of women from one family — a grandmother, a mother and two daughters. They live alongside fear, the absurdity of everyday life, arguments, humour, love and the constant need to survive. When the grandmother falls seriously ill and essential medicines disappear, an old legend about L’Euphorbier (the spurge plant) returns — its seeds are said to have protective power. «L'Euphorbier» aims to explore how ordinary women become heroines.
The production is directed by Anna Horianska. The French translation was done by Dmytro Chystiak and Clarisse Brossard.
The first performances at the theatre in Liège took place in September. The next ones will be held on 2, 3, 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17 October. The play was previously presented in Ukraine and France.
As a reminder, the film project of the same name by Polina Bieliaieva, based on the play «Spurge», won a film pitching competition as part of the «Tysiachovesna» initiative.
About Oksana Hrytsenko:
- Ukrainian playwright and journalist;
- co-founder of the Playwrights’ Theatre and a member of the Ukrainian Film Academy;
- author of the play «Don Juan from Zhashkiv», which was adapted into a film of the same name by Viktor Butko.