With the spectacular stage play The Garden of Delights by the French director and visual artist, Philippe Quesne, solemnly closes the Athenian program of the Athens Epidaurus Festival on August 4.

The French auteur, who captivated the audience of Piraeus 260 last year with the show Farm Fatale, on the occasion of climate change, returns to Greece with an original work, inspired by the famous Renaissance painting by Hieronymus Bosch.

After the triumphant premiere in Avignon, Philippe Quesne comes to take over the Odeon of Herodes Atticus with a show co-produced by the Athens Epidaurus Festival, which is expected to be one of the most striking theatrical moments of this summer.

Philippe Quesne wanted to make a show that would be performed in the wild. In Avignon The Garden of Pleasures was staged in a quarry, while in Athens the play will be specially adapted for the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

The idea of coexistence that dominates the work of Philippe Quesne, is expressed through the scenery of the show: an improvised camp, a group of actors like the flower children of the 70s, a bus, people experiencing a communal situation.

The protagonists play music, sing, break up the bus and break up into groups themselves, people coming together and breaking up, lots of music of all kinds – even pop – mostly from the 60s and 70s is performed by them.

Through the show The Garden of Pleasures, Philippe Quesne’s team celebrates 20 years of creation.The work of his actors is based on improvisation and stage freedom and in the plays he stages, he uses many excerpts from texts related to poetry and philosophy.

Speaking of philosophy, the French director argues that the lack of collectivity prevents the harmonious coexistence of people:

“We are groups of people who don’t know each other, but we try to coexist” avers the French auteur. Eventually, Quesne brings to the foreground the ultimate goal of his work: “To try to live together“.

Actors/Actresses Jean-Charles Dumay, Léo Gobin, Sébastien Jacobs , Elina Löwensohn, Nuno Lucas, Isabelle Prim, Thierry Raynaud, Gaëtan Vourc’h

Idea, Directed, Set Design by Philippe Quesne

Original Text Laura Vazquez

Costumes, scultpures Karine Marques Ferreira

Set Design-Assistant Élodie Dauguet

Dramatist Éric Vautrin

Sound Design Janyves Coïc

Lightning Design Jean-Baptiste Boutte

Produced by Vivarium Studio, Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne