“Maybe what seems to be life is not really life. Or maybe we, looking at the artists and thinking for so long that we are their spectators, are not spectators after all, but we ourselves are on the stage, performing a play that no one sees for years. Lena Kitsopoulou, co-creator of Night in Epidaurus, which is currently on stage at the Rex National Theatre, mentions this in her note, leaving the end of the sentence without a question mark, but with a period ambiguous for its tone. phrase.

The performance in Rex evokes social and psychological observation as its actors seek to demonstrate – whether or not they succeed in the end – the false world that crystallizes before and after every theatrical performance in Epidaurus not only for artists. The theatrical world participates in its own apotheosis, conceit, complaint, envy or numbness after each epic performance.

However, a visit to Epidaurus is also an important event for the public. Getting in touch with ancient Greek drama through the performances chosen during the festival is the motivation for many to go there. Over the decades of watching TV series, I have learned to “listen” to the high society audience. Many of them are in the area for the first time, seduced by the scenery, the intensity of the case, the interpretations, the power of experience. Their reactions are unpredictable, their silence as well as their nervousness can make or break a show.

Epidaurus, of course, provides an opportunity for illusory recognition, through the prism of which viewers confirm their social status. Many actually perceive the tension of space as a privileged field for the manifestation of their own theatricality. They show off their summer goodies, show their grace to friends and strangers, think they are making their entrance under the gaze of those already seated in the stands, post selfies on social media, after which they seek to dine at the famous Leonidas Tavern, a formation with their famous political , financial and, of course, artistic clientele.

The images are tangible, no matter how generalizations are allowed, no matter how blind we are to the fact that others want to sell berries, and not we.

In an age dominated by images, a person feeds his self-confidence or self-image through the reflection of his image in others. “In this image society, the real value of people is of little interest to anyone. It’s ‘appearance’ that matters,” says author Dimitris G. Souliotis in an excerpt from his book, Sad Narcissists. We face narcissism in our daily relationships” (Armos editions, Athens, 2012), which is included in the program of the National Theatre.

After all, we all have an individual “closet” with dependencies for each use.