Silence

Contemporary theatre play

Direction: Argyro Chioti (Greece)
Dramaturgie: Denis Forgeron (France)
Direction & dramaturgie assistant: Euthimis Theou (Greece)

Video: Isabelle Schneider
Translations: Sherry-Lee Richardson, Rosa Prodromou

Performers :
Naima Carbajal (Mexico)
Boris Kadin (Croatia)
Ariane Labed (France)
Rosa Prodromou (Greece)

The staring point and base of our research was the figure of Saint Francis and the book “God’s Little Pauper” by Nikos Kazantzakis. This is where our own story evolved from, in the form of rhythmic story-telling, attempting to talk about the man of today, who lives and has to deal with modern society. Our centre theme could be resumed in the following question: “in the name of what do we live today? In the name of who, or of what do we make the choices that determine our life?”

In Silence four actors/story-tellers alternate between being in the action and narrating the story. The dramaturge is also present, as an outside observer, a figure that witnesses and at moments interferes with the action. The central element of our work is the actor: his physical apparatus, his voice as an instrument, his awareness and relation to the space, the other actors and of course the spectators. No objects, no decorative elements, no pre-recorded music, no special lighting effects, no extra materials to soothe the eye. By composing our own polyphonic songs and using our mother languages, we utilize material drawn from our personal experience, images orchestrated in every detail to create the rhythm of our story, a musical choreography in the present moment.

We aim to question the contradictions between today’s values and beliefs and our personal drives. How do we experience the extreme diversity between our social or religious identity on the one hand, i.e. our social behaviour according to socially accepted ideals, and our singularity on the other, our inner truth, our instinct? What are the effects of this conflict on the others around us and on our own selves, our personal choices and decisions?

SILENCE staged in December 2008. in Athens, Greece and Marseille, France and is coming to Croatia in June 2009. !