Debuting actors hit the stage
The Topos Allou Theater is opening its doors to welcome new artists who want to present their fresh outlook on life and theater. Although they are largely unknown and some of them have not even graduated from drama school yet, they are all full of dreams and determination. The First Festival of Young Theater Companies, focusing on «tears in comedy,» runs at the Topos Allou Theater until April 17, amid hopes that it will turn into a regular institution of the local theater scene. «The festival’s aim is to mix many different people and many different groups. The public will be bombarded with different shows, different impressions and views about theater. Viewers have to receive something intense which will invade their quiet and possibly stagnant daily lives,» said actor and director Nikos Kamtsis, who conceived the idea for the festival. No fewer than 15 companies are taking part, featuring young people staging their own productions, many of which are based on their own texts. This is the case with Vassilis Theotokis and Eleni Triantafyllou’s company Karavida, which performs «Nanourisma» (Lullaby), with texts by Theotokis. «We don’t have anything like a great vision,» they both agreed. «We are not saying that our aim is to serve art. We just have things inside us which we would like to say it in a particular way and form.» They say they are in favor of comedy but dislike melodrama, and they believe in producing emotion through a comic part. What is the meaning of «tears in comedy»? Nassa Hadzi, director of the Ftou ke Vgeno theater company, talked about children who are capable of turning the toughest things into games and songs. According to Maria Tsekleni, from the Didelfys company, comedy coexists with tragedy in all aspects of life, all the more so on the theater stage. The young actors are full of worries, although they are at the beginning of their careers. «Young actors are rarely given opportunities like that,» said Tsekleni, when asked why she decided to participate in the festival. «After recently graduating from (drama) school, I am going through a period of disappointment. I feel that my dream – which is to be able to play every season – is almost impossible. But I will not back down and I will not compromise either. I’d rather work anywhere else at the same time, so as to be able to only do theater work that inspires me.» «These kids have vision,» added Kamtsis. «Their vision is to see what they have inside them become alive on stage.» «Everything they will need at the theater is ready and at their disposal, in order to enable them to say what they want and they way they want to,» he added. The participating companies are Angelus Novus, Ektaktou Anagis, Oneiropagida, Akrovates tis Technis, Karavida, Ftou ke Vgeno, Aftoptes Martyres, Gia Liges Parastasseis Akomi, 30 Plus, 361 Degrees, Ypogies Diadromes, Didelfys, Electra and Opos mas Aressi. The Protassis company presents the performance «Polyelaios dia heiros Cavafy,» which is based on a poem by Constantine Cavafy, at 6 p.m. at the foyer daily. Also performing daily are the Opos mas Aressi company and Oneiropagida. Performances daily, 6-9 p.m., at the Topos Allou Theater, 17 Kefallinias & Kykladon, Kypseli, tel 210.865.6004.
