The production approaches the Asia Minor Catastrophe through poems written by poets from Asia Minor, whose verses are marked by a strong lamenting mood, proportional to the tragic nature of the 1922 events.
The collective trauma of the loss of “Paradise” echoes across the poems of the refugee-poets, becoming a link to respective contemporary situations and also to the lamentation over the loss of people, places, hearths, relationships and freedoms in a wider sense. The performance aims at creating a safe context for a different lamenting ceremony but also an open space for reflection on the questions of loss and refugeeism.
Focusing less on the detailed narration of the events revolving around the Asia Minor Catastrophe and more on their emotional perception and symbolic representation, Stage 22 presents a grief-lifting ceremonial event that praises peace and life.
In its new production summertime, the bijoux de kant company uses poetic speech to talk about the issue of climate change and all those things that the senses of the body have long perceived while the mind has yet to fully grasp.
A young tourist guide. A radio producer at a provincial radio station. A strange encounter at the mercy of an unending, unyielding summer at the ruins of an archaeological site underneath a vicious sun. He’s waiting for winter to come to cool off. She anticipates November so as to live the love of her life under the rain. For as long as autumn becomes but a story and summer heats up, the return of the old succession of seasons, as we knew it, becomes the new utopia. A futile expectation. Lost in their conversations, Tereza and Chronis suspect that their need for coolness and rain will probably not be met and start taking their first timid steps towards awareness.
Natalia Kotsani and Tasos Kofodimos, two of the most active and acclaimed performers and creators of the modern Greek music scene, join their forces once again by setting and performing Bergadis’ poem Apokopos, in an original musical production. With their compositions, voices and musical instruments as a vehicle, they present a pioneering setting that is inextricably linked with the roots of the Greek musical tradition and elements from traditional idioms of the Mediterranean. They propose a modern performative approach of the vocal idioms of the Greek tradition, through original and special orchestrations. Visual artist Natalia Manta illustrates the narration in real time through live visuals that are screened on the stage. Alongside them, three acclaimed musicians and collaborators, at times experimenting and at times improvising, enhance this synergy with their own temperament and artistry.
Little Heroes in Crisis is a production based on an original text that tells of the adventures of two siblings who, in their effort to save their city’s river from destruction, come across creatures they never expected to find. A work exploring how society often assigns a “disadvantage” to a person that may actually prove out to be a blessing in disguise, and in this case, the comparative advantage of a child who will save the world.
Little Heroes in Crisis is an educational prοject built on two main thematical axes: the way a child can emotionally handle the climate crisis and the way a child can get acquainted with the rules of eco-theatre – a major trend in theatre that has unofficially started in the 1970s but has only gathered active participants creating companies in Europe and worldwide over the last decades. The show is directed by the children themselves, during the educational programme, confirming thus its key objectives.
The IONIA Orchestra and Chorus of Nea Ionia, Volos present the music theatre performance The Curtain of the Earth, based on original texts by Regina Kapetanaki, co-creator of the legendary children’s radio show Edo Lilipoupoli. It is an original performance combining Karagiozis, shadow puppet theatre and traditional music with the modern visual technology of videos and 3D projections, while commenting in a contemporary manner on Nature and climate change. Takis Vamvakidis in the role of Karagiozis will be narrating and commenting while transforming himself into different characters – from a shadow puppet to an actor on a real stage and then to a digital animator on a video wall – holding the audience’s attention. Greek songs, which are a vital part of the show, will be performed by the IONIA Orchestra and Chorus and acclaimed singer Thodoris Kotonias.
In Larissa, at an ancient theatre among modern blocks of flats, in a place where the past and the present have to co-exist, a new life will be born. Starting with music, dancing and Seferis’ poetry, a celebration will be held. Through repetitive dance motifs, drawing inspiration from pop culture, Greek tradition and Walt Disney’s cartoons, a rebirth ceremony will be held in a place where time is reset to zero. Five persons will meet. They will wait. A sixth person will come and they will welcome him. They will bid him farewell and resurrect him. They will dance with him in the dark. Nature will die and will be born again. Man will die and will be born again. Again, in the dark. Music. A New Life. – Antonis Antonopoulos
Ajax is not there. But Tecmessa is. And she will defend her own version of the story. Amidst the whirlwind of societal developments and twists, humans may lose their centre. How can someone redefine their centre? Are memories real? While the fight against patriarchy and all of its ensuing problems continues, a story about “male” honour and ethics will be told from the perspective of a woman who loved her man, stood by him, and saw her life changing due to literal or metaphorical wars.
Parts of the text come to life through performance and complete Tecmessa’s narration, in an atemporal setting where moments and images are constructed and deconstructed. The soundscape adds to Tecmessa’s mental fluctuations. Can someone describe something that is at once wild and tender? Did Ajax’ life deserve a better fate? What about one person’s feelings for another person? How is love connected to honour?
How long is the journey from adoring football to succumbing to blind hooliganism, stubbing, and causing the loss of human lives? A murder fueled by hooliganism plays out in front of the eyes of a journalist, unveiling ideologies, behaviors, interests, and mechanisms that are not restricted to the rush of some hot-blooded fans, but go much deeper than that.
Through the tools of documentary theatre (interviews with the true protagonists of real-life events, fans, parents of victims, and perpetrators, referees, policemen, and sport group executives), the performance Which Team Are You On? is an ode to the global social phenomenon known as football, and a poetic recording of the sports fan culture and its negative manifestations. A performance that is raw yet comic, mundane yet surrealistic, aiming to raise the audience’s awareness and make them want to go play football with their friends.
This summer, the IONIA Orchestra and Choir of Nea Ionia, Volos will present a dynamic and diverse music theatre performance titled Aristos and Fanis. The 13-member orchestra of traditional instruments, the 160-member mixed choir, singer Thodoris Kotonias, and two actors will take audiences on a colourful journey, where tradition intersects with the present day.
In a simple and immediate manner, the two heroes, Aristos and Fanis, find courage in the power of Aristophanes’ comedy, which has taught us how to address the most challenging matters through the redemptive, sarcastic, and critical power of laughter. Especially in our time and in societies where that which is “different”, whether related to countries, religions, genders, or any other groups, constantly leads to dangerous and escalating tensions. The performance conveys the message that humans need to coexist and that life acquires true value only through collaboration, acceptance of the “other”, and harmony.
The magic of the famous Greek author Alexandros Papadiamantis’ enduring body of work is highlighted by featuring three of his memorable short stories: “The Wife of the Church Commissioner”, “The Cholera-afflicted Woman”, and “The Voice of the Dragon”.These stories revolve around the role of women in society, the dominant patriarchal or societal views, and the many conflicts arising either from challenges in communicating a common language code or from women’s internal struggles. The themes range from the sacrifices a woman can make for her dowry to her social exclusion.
Telling the story both through vocal performance and sign language, dancing, and theatre, the director focuses on a polyphonic narrative that is conveyed through facial expressions, voices, and hand movements, shaping a unique universe. A place, which is dominated by the senses and emphasizes Papadiamantis’ language, rich in poetic descriptions and imagery. The performance features both deaf and hearing actors.