The idea to produce John Stuart Andersons' monologue was born when I read The Card Cast.e and the sentence  'Immortal  Woods',  guided me to the oldest and most symbolic tree of Greece, the olive tree.  From there I ached to do something which would give the monologue a Greek life.  As the scenes came together in my head, I needed to find the ideal arena, nothing commercial, not even a theatre, but a place where the magic of this production could reach everyone that came to see it.  The moment I opened the door to the old olive factory in Vathy, Ithaki, the set and the characters of The Card Castle came to life

inside me and John Stuart Anderson inspired me once more to go on.

The ladies X. Kostiri and Eleni Tsigoyia, caretakers of the old factory, gave me the green light to proceed with my project for which I will be eternally grateful.  Not only is it a wonderful space, but also  historic and atmospheric.  With the help of friends and colleagues, I started work on the factory on the 17th November 2003 and today in April 2004 we stand in a clean space between these wonderful stone walls, old machines and equipment so full of memories for the community of Vathy and Ithaki who spent their youth working so hard behind these hard wood doors.

I want to thank all those who helped me with this production and I wish also to light a candle for John and for the ghosts of the people who passed from here.  Bless you all.

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The Card Castle tells the story of a lady and her maid.  Two women living and waiting for an impossible

return.  Valery, her soul away in another dimension  and Anniya, who's soul tries to awaken Valery to catch up again with time.  Will it ever end?

Two lovely ladies, Maria Kouyianou and Tomi Dendrinou, who replaces my first choice Pistoula Marouli, give light to the script that John Stuart Anderson had originally written as a monologue for a man.  Women nature inspired me to adapt the play for women struggling  against time.

Thank you to everyone that gave their time and help to The Card Castle.

Click on the Card Castle Performance tab to see all those who t supported this venture.

Email Dimitris Danis

Introduction     The Card Castle Performance     The Olive Oil Factory     Photographs

Introduction     The Card Castle Performance     The Olive Oil Factory     Photographs

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