Zorba’s Last Dance

Zorba The Greek is a great classic novel written by Nikos Kazantzakis, first published in 1946. Set on the island of Crete, it tells the story of Alexis Zorba, a wild feisty man who is there to open a lignite mine. He meets a bookish young man and teaches him to break free and embrace life.

A dead man awaits his death rites to the other world, a one-woman chorus (Donna Dimovski-Kantarovski) conducts a ceremonial ritual to take him to his final resting place.

The play restarts, back in time when the dead man was alive. He is John (Evangelos Arabatzis), he lives in Melbourne, he is talking to his best friend, a playwright Paul (Dimitrios Koutsoukos) about his cancer diagnosis and despite fearing the worst for his own life, he is determined to urge him to continue his passion for writing. But, Paul does not want to forsake the comforts of his good job at the University and risk financial security in old age; with a mortgage to pay off he is reluctant to throw caution to the wind.

Intercut with a biographical depiction of Nikos Kazantzakis (Koutsoukos) and his muse Giorgi Zorba (Arabatzis), like the novel their differing philosophical views are challenged and debated. Nikos the writer is in awe of Zorba’s freedom and courage, but Zorba belittles him, finds him insipid, incapable of life. He tells him “Ideas are parasites that will rot your mind”. Nikos is relentless, he will stop at nothing; he continues his pursuit of his Zorba.

Zorba’s Last Dance, written by Tom Petisinis, is a powerful doppelganger and strong allegorical play that reflect on the big philosophical issues of life and death - while battling with the mediocrity train. There might be a tinge of latent homosexuality or maybe hearty bro-mancing between both stories; separate but similar in themes and culture, make the production original and thought provoking. Rosemary Johns has directed a complex play with sensitivity and careful precision. Highly commendable and powerful performances by both actors and colourful haunting visitations by (Dimovski- Kantarovski).

The lighting (Greg Carroll) is moody and dark. Sound design (Erik Havryluk ) is atmospheric with joyous intervals.

 A wonderfully entertaining production.

Flora Georgiou

Photographer: Darren Gill