Plato's Republic was written almost 2,500 years ago. This famous dialogue is the most widely read text on political theory of all time. And yet, many aspects of it remain entirely unknown, drowned in the inexhaustible richness of the work.
To discover or rediscover Plato's Republic today is to realize that the problems of our time were anticipated, understood, and analyzed by an ancient philosopher, a scrupulous observer of the perils that threaten societies when they are left bound hand and foot to minority interests, to the detriment of the core values ​​that structure their cohesion.
Rereading ancient texts holds some significant surprises. One wouldn't expect to find in Plato's Republic a fierce advocacy for a declining society. One is stunned to read it as the most implacable demonstration imaginable against unlimited profit and the harmful effects it engenders by destabilizing the social order, multiplying misery and poverty, and thus fostering sedition and the rise of tyrants to power.
When this theatrical adaptation was created in 2022, the public and critical reception of this show was triumphant. Although the Pitoëff Theatre's 200-plus-seat auditorium was notoriously difficult to fill, Plato's Republic nevertheless generated a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and intense word-of-mouth advertising, leading to an exponential increase in attendance, to the point that the last performances were sold out.
Direction, adaptation: José Lillo
Cast: Jean-Alexandre Blanchet, Felipe Castro, Guillaume Chenevière, François-Xavier Fernandez-Cavada, Charlotte Filou, Christian Gregori, Hélène Hudovernik, José Lillo, Mariama Sylla
Lighting design: Rinaldo Del Boca
Prop master: Carole Favre
Sound: Jean Keraudren
Lighting and sound technician: Loïc Rivoalan
Graphics: Stéphane Baechler
Administration and communication: Eva Kiraly
A production by Attila Entertainment
The revival of this show is supported by the City of Geneva, Action Intermittence, private donations, the State of Geneva, and Migros Geneva's cultural percentage