National theater is a 1930 s building created by german arcitect Ernest Chiller. It is located in the heart of Athens and was recently rennovated. It is called a golden cage because the locals around it are emmigrants, homeless and drug addicts. Apostolia Papadamaki created this performance in a very dangerous era for greece to set up questions about Crisis/Art/ Humanity.
Description:
One costume on top of the other, one death after the other, one applause after each death. Manifesting the end of an era and the beginning of a new one Apostolia Papadamaki performs a series of fake theatrical deaths in the back yard of the National Theater of Greece, a historical building recently renewed ,or a golden cage as it is called ,because the locals around it are emigrants, homeless and drug addicts. The performer is using the repetition of one action in various ways- Dress the Role-Kill the Role-Get Audience Applause, in order to question art and theater today and it’s place in society.
Using exaggeration, humor and theatrical madness Apostolia creates a performance of humanity , setting up the question again ...to whom art addresses? What is the need to make art today? Local people, emigrants, reach ,poor, all become part of the process : Theatre goes out of the building, dies, resurrects ,performs again.
She transforms into an emblematic theater figure, symbolizing archetypes of theater, carrying past and future memories, taking the audience to a ride around the theater, meeting emigrants, uniting locals with the visitors, blending them together. The world is a stage, the stage incudes the world?
Concept/Performer: Apostolia Papadamaki
Currators: Eleni Koukou, Katerina Tsellou
Costumes: Ioanna Tsami
Sound Design: Alexandros Drymonitis
Production: National Theatre of Greece/ Common View