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The "Birds" of Aristophanes directed by Nikos Karathanos fly to New York

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The Onassis Stegi-Athens, operating under the overarching principle of exporting contemporary Greek culture and supporting Greek creators, continues its overseas activities. This May, Aristophanes’ comedy "The Birds" fly to New York.

Epidaurus – Athens – New York
2-13 May 2018 | St. Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn

The Onassis Stegi "Birds", under the direction of Nikos Karathanos, “fly” to America. After the sold out performances in Epidaurus and Athens in 2016 and the live streaming which connected 44,000 computers from 110 countries from the four corners of the earth, "The Birds" spread their wings for a transatlantic flight and are shown as part of the annual program of St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York, from 2 to 13 May.

The Onassis Stegi-Athens, operating under the overarching principle of exporting contemporary Greek culture and supporting Greek creators, continues its overseas activities. In its 8 years of operation, over 40 Greek productions of theater, dance and music have already traveled abroad.

Message from Afroditi Panagiotakou

Greece at its best. A phrase which encapsulates everything the Onassis Foundation has set out to achieve, especially beyond the borders of Greece. Our mission remains the same: releasing potential and working towards shaping a society of active citizens. Culture, health and education are the vehicles that will get us to our destination. Through the arts, we seek not only to produce culture but also to change it, and to change our personal culture, too–the way we do things.

Empowered by Nikos Karathanos' gaze, Aristophanes' "Birds" speak of a utopian society, a society-that-cannot-be. They set off our thoughts and emotions about democracy, freedom and equality – a vision that’s always worth fighting for. They talk about everything that's so profoundly human in the personal sphere, yet wide-ranging in its social dimension. At the Onassis Foundation, we want to think and act as engaged citizens. We seek to kindle conversations that take us out of our comfort zone, making clear that nothing can be taken for granted. In times like these, we all have to strive to put Man at the epicenter of every decision we take, large and small.

Afroditi Panagiotakou, Director of Culture, Onassis Foundation

Director's Note

The mortals and the birds got together and staged a rebellion, what about us?
2,500 years ago, Aristophanes imagined two people, bloated, tired, exasperated with life. They left the world of men, and took a ‘high turn’ towards the world of birds. They founded a city in the clouds. People emigrated there, the gods themselves emigrated there, and thus came to be their very own (the original!) “Cloud cuckoo land”, where humans, gods, beasts and birds lived together –with their heads, literally, “in the clouds”.

All these years that have gone by, people have never ceased leaving, running, going places. As a theatrical troupe, we are no different; we have treated this play not as plot but as action, as a weird and outrageous experience, as a silent movie desperately trying to become a “talkie”. It is the experience of people always “on the run”. It is the experience of people always migrating.

We, like Aristophanes’ citizens and birds, are a migratory species. So, in "The Birds" we celebrate the desire to fly, our attempt to elevate ourselves. That is why I wanted "The Birds" to be people instead of birds, people with cracks. Such is nature, such is life.

Aristophanes encapsulates all our dreams. His words reveal an entire universe. In "The Birds" he takes us on a flight to the incredible. To an earth-shattering revolution. To the Big Bang, the all-generating explosion, the longing for another life.

Nikos Karathanos

Photo © beetroot

Video

Credits

Translation: Giannis Asteris
Direction: Nikos Karathanos
Adaptation: Nikos Karathanos, Giannis Asteris
Sets - Costumes: Elli Papageorgakopoulou
Music: Aggelos Triantafillou
Lighting Design: Simos Sarketzis
Movement: Amalia Bennett

With:
Amalia Bennett, Kostas Berikopoulos, Maria Diakopanagiotou, Vasiliki Driva, Nikos Karathanos, Emily Koliandri, Ektor Liatsos, Christos Loulis, Grigoria Metheniti, Konstantinos Bibis, Foivos Rimenas, Michalis Sarantis, Aris Servetalis, Giannis Sevdikalis, Elena Topalidou, Marissa Triantafyllidou, Aggelos Triantafillou, Haris Frangoulis, Galini Hatzipaschali

Live music: Sofia Efkleidou, Michalis Katachanas, Dimitris Klonis, Vasilis Panagiotopoulos, Dimitris Tigkas.

Assistant Director: Marissa Triantafyllidou
Assistant to the Director: Ioanna Bitouni
Assistant to the Set Designer: Myrto Lamprou
Music Assistant: Vassilis Panagiotopoulos
Production Assistant: Tzela Christopoulou
Hair Design: Chronis Tzimos
Make-up: Alexandra Mita
Sound Engineering: Kostis Pavlopoulos
Stage Manager: Giannis Kritikos
Construction of the props "Trees": Socrates Papadopoulos, Stephanos Grammenos, Daphne Iliopoulou
Costume Construction: Dimitra Kaisari, Despoina Makarouni, Aphrodite Pournari
Costume repair: Lena Papamichail
Set Construction: Lazaridis Scenic Studio
Surtitles translation of Giannis Asteris’ text, in English: Orfeas Apergis
Executive Producer: POLYPLANITY Productions / Yolanda Markopoulou, Vicky Strataki

Coproduced by St. Ann's Warehouse and the Onassis Cultural Centre-Athens

Supported by the Onassis Foundation

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