Agapi & Other Kinds of Love
“Redefining the bounds between poetry and theatre”
★★★★
Sydney Arts Guide
What Is It?
Agapi & Other Kinds of Love is a poetry and Hip-hop theatre show inspired by the 7 Ancient Greek words for love.
Written and performed by poet & rapper, Luka Lesson, the show is equal parts rap concert, poetic musical & classical history lesson.
Combining lyricism, lighting, projections and music Agapi & Other Kinds of Love shows us how loves prevails despite the trials and tribulations of the ages.
Supported by
“Brilliant, creative, explosive… A voice for our humanity.”
★★★★★
- Audience Member
What’s the Story?
In Ancient Greece, Socrates is telling a banquet of friends about a mysterious woman named: Diotima, who taught him everything he knows about love. Socrates doesn’t know that Diotima is on her way to Athens to hold Socrates in her arms one more time.
In modern Greece, Pavlos and Sophia have fallen in love at first sight in the midst of a riot on the streets of Athens, amid the crisis of political and economic upheaval.
Self-love, erotic love, familial love, the love of the stranger and more all collide with statues of Aphrodite, Molotov cocktails and the Parthenon's steps.
The primordial gods: Chaos & Cosmos, watch over the two sets of lovers as they dance with destiny - until eventually, the gods intervene.
“A masterful expression of an exquisite poet”
★★★★★
Amir Paiss
-
"Luka is a genuine artist of high quality whose poetry is powerful and poignant. I salute his prophetic witness!"
DR CORNEL WEST
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE -
"Luka Lesson is one of those people who changes the weather; who by his very presence makes the landscape seem more possible, more holy, more liveable. More true of heart."
DOMINIQUE CHRISTINA
AWARD WINNING POET -
"Luka never fails to delight in this vibrant and beautiful dive into love"
OMAR SAR
AWARD WINNING POET -
"A voice and presence capable of casting and holding a spell"
JOHN SHAND
PLAYWRIGHT & THEATRE CRITIC
Who is Luka Lesson?
Luka Lesson is a Greek-Australian poet, former Australian Poetry Slam Champion, Hip-hop artist and history-obsessed wordsmith who can’t keep his hands off the classics.
Luka has featured at the Mecca for slam poetry: the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe (NYC), been commissioned by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and toured with respected UK rappers Akala & Lowkey.
Agapi & Other Kinds of Love is Luka’s first theatre work - combining ancient wisdom of his ancestry and his love of modern poetics to create something powerful and new.
What Are People Saying?
“A glorious spectacle of story, song, colour & sound. Simply magical”
— Audience Member
“An innovative and intriguing show merging hip-hop beats with music for ancient instruments”
— South Sydney Herald
“A mix of rap, hip-hop, poetry and music, reminding me of Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton'"
— Theatre Thoughts
“This was one of the highest calibre and most transformative live performances I have attended in my life.”
— Audience Member
