The Theatre in Zakynthos – Landmarks

The history of the theatre in Zakynthos was marked by the island’s particular history. The passing of the Venetians, the French, and the British together with the clear influence it received from Greece formed what is now called Theatre of Zakynthos. In this text we shall not present the very history of the theatre on the island, we shall rather present certain landmarks of its age-long presence in Zakynthos. These landmarks outline the islanders’ love for theatre and arts in general.

The first known performance in Zakynthos was staged near the end of the 16t century, at the island’s Castle. It was there, where young noblewomen and men, wishing to celebrate the victory of the Christian forces against the Turks in the naval battle of Nafpaktos in 1571, staged the play Perses of Aeschylus in the vernacular of Zakynthos.

Certain sources report that the first edition of Erophili by Hortatzis was published in Venice in 1637, while the original text was in the hands of an archon of Zakynthos, Philippos Karreris, which proves that the play might have been staged in Zakynthos.

In 1646 the first theatrical play of Zakynthos written in the vernacular of the time, Eugena by Theodoros Montseleze, was printed in Venice. This play reveals the staging of theatrical plays as well as the existence of theatrical life in the Ionian Islands.

In about 1750, the theatrical performances “Omilies” (spoken theatre) of Zakynthos are born. The first theatre of the island (with 300 seats), is built during the same period in the town of the island’s Castle. It staged plays until 1790, when it was deserted, as the Castle’s town was abandoned. Up to the end of the 19^th century, more than ten theatres were built on the island, at various locations in and around the island’s capital. The island’s last theatre, the “Foscolos” theatre was destroyed by the devastating earthquake of 1953.

Apart from its century-long theatrical production, Zakynthos has given rise to very important theatrical writers, such as Dimitrios Gouzelis and Savoyia Soumerlis, two of the first modern Greek comedy writers, as well as Antonios Matesis, Elisabeth Moutzan-Martinegou, and during the 20^th century, Grigorios Xenopoulos and Dionysios Romas, who marked the theatrical production of modern Greece with their works.