Crete 1944. A young girl hides in the hollow of an ancient olive tree, watching helplessly, as her family are rounded up and loaded onto trucks. A horned shadow looms and she finds herself falling… falling…
An epic new play inspired by the myth of the Minotaur and the true tale of the lost Jews of Crete. A gripping narrative told via text, movement and shadow-play, we follow the life of Rena Depas as she embarks upon a labyrinthine quest to find peace in the wake of violence.
For this production, NMT Automatics have brought together a special team of creatives, who have worked with some of the most internationally renowned contemporary theatre companies, including: 1927, Gecko, Theatre Re, Ephemeral Ensemble, Barefaced Greek and Les Enfants Terribles.
The show has been in development since December 2023, in collaboration with Professor Alice König from St Andrews University, as part of her Visualising Peace Project.
We will complete a further three weeks of development in April 2026, leading to a work-in-progress preview on May the 3rd. The show will be brought to completion in October 2026, ready for a 3-week run at The Gatehouse in Highgate, from the 26th October to 15th of November.
The production is supported by St Andrews University, The Society for Classical Studies, East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue, JW3 and Etz Hayyim Synagogue (Crete).
Rena: in the wake of war – Blog by Prof. Alice König
The clips here are from the first period of R&D…
NMT Automatics 