Eve Polycarpou is currently in Captain Corelli's Mandolin at the Harold Pinter Theatre, playing the role of Drosoula. Her other credits include Abuela in Strictly Ballroom (Piccadilly Theatre West End, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto), Yiayia Agape in Sunset at Villa Thalia for The National Theatre, Abuela Claudia in In the Heights at Southwark Playhouse and King’s Cross Theatre, The title role in The Manchester Library Theatre's production of Brecht's Mother Courage, Nerhjas in Judith Thompson's award-winning Palace of the End (M.E.N. nomination for Best Actress) and Agave in The Bacchae, both at Royal Exchange Manchester and Chanson Performer in Jacques Brel is Alive and Well at Charing Cross Theatre.
You’re currently in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, tell us a bit about the piece.
It’s all set in the Second World War on the small Greek island of Cephalonia which has been occupied by the Italians first and then the Germans. The occupation has a huge impact obviously on all the islanders; their livelihood is affected, there’s a shortage of food, their families and relationships, the fact that they are invaded and then feel imprisoned in their own homes.
A young Italian Captain, Antonio Corelli, comes onto the island. He plays the mandolin and in spite of the horrors of war that he’s witnessed and indeed what we go on to see him witness, his music gives him life and hope and also touches the hearts of some of the islanders, somehow bridging the divide.
A young Greek woman, the doctor’s daughter, Pelagia, is already betrothed to a fisherman, Mandras, an islander, the son of feisty widow Drosula however Mandras has to serve in the army and on his return we see how he has been very badly traumatised. He’s not the man they all knew or even the young innocent boy that his mother knew before he left. Pelagia sees her childhood ‘sweetheart’ disappear and starts to fall in love with Captain Correlli.
Ultimately this story is all about love in its various forms and the effect the war has on it; romantic love, people coming from two opposing situations being captivated by each other and dreaming of a peaceful family life together and unrequited love. The love of a young man who wants to have an ordinary normal life, with his childhood love, but who has been badly affected by war and cannot express his love through fear of more pain and hurt. The love of two soldiers who would ‘die for each other’, whose love ‘dare not speak its name’. The love of a mother for her son as she wants the best and fears the worst for her child, her island and her home, then indeed suffers the ultimate loss. Yet through all her pain she still believes in love to survive, to live and to ‘carry on even if the world is destroyed’.
You’re playing Drosoula in the production, tell us a bit about her.
Drosoula is a passionate strong hardworking woman, a widow who wants the best for her son. Striving for affluence for her fisherman son, she works alongside him to have a good job a good wife and a good home. She loves her son, her only son and only child and has strived to teach him how to be the best in many ways. We see her struggle to make a better life for him, care for him after he’s been wounded, grow to love Pelagia for the healing she gives her son, Mandras, and finally we see a mother who survives through the ultimate of losses. In this particular version we also hear her sing, representing the voice of Cephalonia, which is like the existential side of herself. We hear her sing some covers, Greek songs, well known in this period. We also hear her sing pieces of music created by the inimitable Harry Blake, musical director and composer. We also hear her improvise and lament the biggest most painful grief of all.
