The show premieres in its natural setting, at the Bridge of Arta, on 20 and 21 July in the framework of the «All of Greece, one culture». Then, he comes to Athens for a performance, on July 29, at the Open Theatre of Kolonou, in the framework of the programme ‘The Municipality of Athens supports culture’. The next stops of the tour, which will take place in selected parts of Greece, will be announced in the near future.
As stated in a statement Art Theatre, Karolou Kun for the performance, the most wildly «unkilled» of the «unkilled» young women, all those «witches of Hades» that we meet in folk songs, is without a doubt the witch of the madness of the Bridge of Arta or else «the beautiful woman of the first master». She who was never asked if she would accept to be built alive to crown the famous bridge that would bring the much-needed progress to society. The one who was deceitfully lured and sacrificed, as has happened and continues to happen, both figuratively and literally, to millions of women around the globe.
The famous parable of the «Yiophyri of Arta» gives us the occasion to talk about the mores that force women to suppress and sacrifice their desires and their own lives on the altar of the patriarchal system.. A social system with stereotypical roles from which no gender can escape. A world where society sets strict rules of behaviour with a specific code of «honour». A dark and violent world where «virtue» equals injustice and sacrifice, «shame» is washed away in blood, man must rule and woman must serve. Of a world far away or perhaps even near?;
This world, as depicted in the parable of the Bridge of Arta and many other folk songs, is brought to life by the Karolou Koun Art Theatre through a spectacle that combines narration with live music, singing, dancing and acrobatics. The inspiration for the form used in the show is the «pantomime», the mixed dramatic form that was born after the decline of ancient Greek drama, of which the parallels are considered distant descendants. Violence against women, culminating in the femicides that continue to plague our society even today, stem from prejudices and stereotypes deeply rooted in tradition and in the consciousness of all of us. The recent reactions of society to incidents of sexual harassment and violence show that the dialogue on sexism, misogyny and discrimination of all kinds has finally opened, notes the Karolou Koon Art Theatre and dedicates the performance to all the «wailing women of the underworld», the young women of yesterday and today who have lost their lives, both figuratively and literally, because of their gender.
TAYTOTHTA PERFORMANCE
Dramaturgy-direction-scenography: Marianna Kalbari
Original music composition/music teaching: Thodoris Ampazis
Costume-tailoring: Sofia Arvanitis-Florou
Choreography by Christina Sooyultzis
Lighting design: Stella Kaltsou
Special collaboration in the lighting of the performance in Arta: Kostas Bluegras
Assistant director - production organisation: Marilena Moschou
Lighting assistant: Stevi Koutsothanasi
Set construction: Stavros Manesis
Collaboration on set design: Christina Sougioultzis
Production execution: Dora Hoursanidou
They play (alphabetically):
Katerina Lypiridou, Vassilis Mavrogeorgiou,
Thodoris Skyftoulis, Amalia Tsekoura
Participants: Marilena Moschou
Dance-acrobatics: Christina Sougioultzis
Live music performance:
Stella Arabatzoglou (saxophone)
Ioanna Riga (santuri)
Performances:
20 & 21 July 2021 at the Bridge of Arta
Start time: 20.15
29 July at the Open Colonus Theatre
Start time: 21.00
The performance is part of the 2021 programme of the institution “All Greece is one Culture” of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
