Poetic Consultations | 2020-21
An initiative of the Τhéâtre de la Ville - Paris, an Onassis Stegi collaboration
Dates
Tickets
Venue
Time & Date
Information
Are you ready for a poem selected just for you?
Availability
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 18:00-19:00
Wednesday & Saturday 11:00-12:00
Slots for consultations will open every 15 days, on Thursdays.
Appropriate for those aged from 8 to 118 years old.
Schedule for May
Thursday 20 May (consultations start Monday 24th May)
Introduction
Poetry is calling you.
Where are you? How are you? What do you see from your window?
From 1 December, a telephone ritual transports us to a poetic universe.
"Poetry can heal anything.” Fernando Pessoa
As long as we cannot meet in auditoria, Onassis Stegi will call you on the phone. If someone chose a poem especially for you, would you like to hear it? How would you feel, if someone gave you a poetic “prescription” to banish the difficulties of our times?
Designed by Τhéâtre de la Ville and in collaboration with cultural institutions across the globe, this program shows that art can forge fragile and poetic bonds.
From 1 December, Onassis Stegi takes the lead. Established actors invite you to an original conversation. A simple idea transforms into a soothing ritual: the listener makes an appointment; the actor calls; they discuss for twenty minutes; he then recites a poem inspired by their exchange, and ends with a custom-made poetic “prescription”.In a world weakened by the pandemic and at a time when borders are closing and communities are moving apart, these “consultations” re-establish a form of dialogue between countries, creating new links. Through poetry, we set the foundations of a new humanism through the support of visionary institutions across the world: from Paris (Τhéâtre de la Ville) to Florence (Teatro della Pergola), from Bucharest (Insula 42) to Berlin (Institut Français), from Africa (9 countries, 11 partners) to Athens (Onassis Stegi)Each institution employs actors to consult in their own language with local audiences, artists and audience, creating a poetic universe, a theatre without borders. Inside the house and far from the routine established a long time ago, poetry shows us a way to live, enjoy, feel and survive. By word of mouth in a world weakened by the pandemic and among small groups of people, “Poetic Consultations” are waiting for you on the other end of the line. Simply listen carefully.
Poetic Consultations are free and open to all.
As long as Greek productions cannot travel abroad, Onassis Stegi continues its work with new forms the cultural export in collaboration with European cultural institutions.
Photo: Panos Kefalos
Dimitris Drosos, Argyris Xafis, Maria Magkanari
“Poetic Consultations” are waiting for you on the other end of the line.
Each person can register or register someone else by visiting the Théâtre de la Ville website, and checking the following fields:
- Select the preferred language from the pop-up menu (Langue), e.g. Ελληνικά
- Then, select the Onassis Stegi field (Ποιητικές Συνομιλίες – Στέγη Ιδρύματος Ωνάση)
- Proceed with your reservation
- Select the date for your phone call, from the ones available at the calendar
- Fill in all the fields required by the platform to complete your registration.
Each Poetic Consultation lasts for 20 minutes.
The booking time is indicative; you will receive the call at any time during the set hour. Please make yourself available to receive the phone call for the whole hour of your appointment.
If you live in another country, or your phone number is not Greek, the actor will call you via WhatsApp.
If you do not use WhatsApp. you will receive the call at your own phone line. It is important to note your country code if you live abroad.
If you want to listen to poetic dialogues in other languages, but you live in Greece, please select the respective field. The times listed will be the ones of the country you have selected.
The platform will be updated on a regular basis. For future available slots, please check the website regularly.
Appropriate for those aged from 8 to 118 years old.
In 2004, theatre director and later-to-be director of Τhéâtre de la Ville, Paris, Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota along with the writer Fabrice Melquiot envisioned Poetic Consultations in the streets of France. These consultations were born out of the desire to show special attention to local audiences through a unique act of oral transmission. They, thus, decided to recite a poem to someone. In 2020, Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota along with his theatre company decided to repeat this initiative this time at Théâtre de la Ville, where he has held the post of director since 2010. Hence, at the beginning of the lockdown poetic consultations were reinvented to adapt to the new situation.
More than 100 artists have offered consultations by phone. Actors of Théâtre de la Ville have been collaborating with actors from Italy, Greece, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Portugal, Senegal, Egypt, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Taiwan, and France. Communicating in 22 languages, they create the Troupe de l'Imaginaire" (Imaginary Company). Since March 2020, more than 9500 people have received a “poetic prescription” across the world.
