Two thousand years after the Eleusinian Mysteries, the internationally renowned Italian director introduces a contemporary ritual, in the context of a site-specific performance specially designed for the Eleusis archaeological site.

Romeo Castellucci’s central character is a matricide who is not of Greek origin, a foreigner in this context. His arrival at the archaeological site disrupts and challenges the established cult, which strictly prohibited entry to those who had stained their hands with blood. Touching a mother was seen as a disruption of the natural order, for a mother who gives life can also bring death. A child, unable to give birth to its mother, likewise cannot take her life. Barbarians were also barred from participating in the Eleusinian Mysteries because their language lacked the concept of logos (discourse), the interplay of words and silence, and the understanding of rhythm, which governs meaning, expectations, pulses, and pauses, acting as a measure to contain and organize chaos.

Romeo Castellucci’s approach doesn’t seek to faithfully replicate the archaic ritual according to archaeological typology, nor does it aim for a contemporary reinterpretation of the history of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Instead, he places the uninitiated, the barbarians, and the matricides at the center of attention to emphasize the symbolism and allegorical aspects of the drama. In the profound silence of the Eleusis archaeological site, devoid of consumable energy, under the bright daylight, a man, having served his sentence, traverses the sacred grounds. Yet, it is through sacrilege that the sanctuary can be reactivated. Forgiveness and the longed-for reconciliation can only be achieved through desecration.