Poetic Consultations | 2021-22

Paying tribute to the great Greek surrealist female poet Matsie Hadjilazaros, ‘Poetic Consultations’ debut season is dedicated to the reading of her poems.

Also, until November 14, Onassis Foundation presents at ‘The Mandra’ visual artist Ioko Ioannis Kotidis’s work “Opus Just for One Person – Part One” inspired by “Reversed Dedication,” Hadjilazaros’s magnum opus, as well as a profound confession of love to Andreas Embirikos.

Each person can register or register someone else by visiting the Théâtre de la Ville website, and checking the following fields:

1. Select the preferred language from the pop-up menu (Langue), e.g. Ελληνικά
2. Then, select the Onassis Stegi field (Ποιητικές Συνομιλίες – Στέγη Ιδρύματος Ωνάση)
3. Proceed with your reservation
4. Select the date for your phone call, from the ones available at the calendar
5. Fill in all the fields required by the platform to complete your registration.

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.

Each Poetic Consultation lasts for 20 minutes.

The call will be delivered via WhatsApp on a priority basis. If you do not use WhatsApp, you will receive the call at your own phone line.

If you live in a country other than Greece, or if your phone number is not registered in a Greek provider, the actor/actress will call you only via WhatsApp. It is important to identify your country code in case 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.