A video by Andreas Skourtis and Panagiotis Andrianos
Presented at the Prague Quadrennial 2019, Performance Space Exhibition ‘Our Theatre of the World’
In Prague 6-16 June 2019
….
London, May 2018
In Chiliomodi, a small town close to Corinth in Greece. My place of birth.
Theatriki Skini is a theatre group made by local people, none of whom are theatre professionals except myself and the director Christos Tsirtsis. It was formed at the very beginning of a long and hard financial crisis, by the need of people to make their dreams happen, to make theatre, no matter what.
I have been the scenographer and the architect of the group from the very start.
The Performance Architecture of Theatriki Skini includes two spaces, or, two buildings that are one ‘Performance Space’.
An old warehouse is transformed to a temporary/ephemeral outdoors performance space, for one summer production each year. It lives every summer.
In addition to this, in 2015 a space in the centre of the town was re-designed to a smaller indoors theatre. It is now the ‘permanent home’ of the group and hosts smaller theatre productions in the winter. It lives throughout the year.
The two performance spaces define, in many ways, the existence of the group. Without these spaces, the group would not be sustainable, or even exist. Performance space is an inseparable part of the group’s collective biography.
The cultural landscape of the town has been transformed by the existence of the group, and by the transformation of the two buildings to performance spaces.
In this video, I revisit both ‘theatres’ in February 2018, and invite members of Theatriki Skini for a gathering and reflective talk inside the small indoors theatre.
How, performance architecture and my involvement, contributed in making their dream happen? How do they feel about their ‘performance space’?
What architecture is ‘important’ – and what ‘architecture’ is ‘non-important’?
Video Direction: Andreas Skourtis, Panos Andrianos
Produced by: Performing Architectures – Andreas Skourtis
With the support of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama – University of London
All photos by Michalis Andrianos – © Performing Architectures, Andreas Skourtis
Members of Theatriki Skini Chiliomodiou that appear in the video:
Christos Tsirtsis, Director
Konstantinos Tsoumanis, Gardener
Dimitris Andrianos, Merchant
Mania Chrysomallidou, Sculptor
Giorgos Kanellos, Taxi Driver
Anastasia Lafkioti, Winemaker
Giorgos Tsoumanis, Firefighter
Dimos Laskas, Professor Social Studies
Manto Giokari, Employee
Giorgos Tsoumanis, Farmer
Christos Parham, Sales Representative
Spyros Mpoumpas, Design Technician
Marina Kanellou, Economist
Paraskevi Mpintakou, Beautician
Spyridoula Tsoumani, Conservation Technician
Panagiota Vourvopoulou, Civil Servant
Video Direction: Andreas Skourtis, Panos Andrianos
Cinematography: Panos Andrianos, Michalis Andrianos
Video Editing: Panos Andrianos
Produced by: Performing Architectures – Andreas Skourtis
With the support of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama – University of London