Saturday 12 February, 7 - 10 pm
Stoa 42, Panepistimiou 42, Athens
On Saturday, February 12th, at 7 pm, Stoa 42 and Sinodi Papu invite you to a unique spectacle. Folk, traditional, for the whole family. An animal that dances to the rhythms of its bear tamer, as οnce, as now. Starring Gordon the bear tamer and his camel donkey Fokas. The beast tamer and the tamed beast.
But one is never tamed forever; power must be constantly validated, confirming its power at every opportunity.
Otherwise, the oppressed animal will forget who its owner is and will run away. This beast is constantly questioning their roles and imagining -in its madness- that things could be different. That it could live without chains, without having to work for someone else or dance the way it wants and not the way Gordon advises. It imagines a world without police, without borders or flags. That's why it deserves to be beaten. Do not be intimidated by violence, because of course this is not normal violence. Gordon whips Fokas for his own good. Indeed, because without the chains, Fokas would not know where to start, he would become dishonest and unruly, and this would have painful consequences for his health. Without his master's food, what would he eat? Without his tambourine, how would he dance? He is lucky in the end. Do not misunderstand their relationship. They are not enemies. It's a family. After all, they both have a common interest: to make the money of the season through this performance. Of course, the beast tamer buys honey for himself while his beast buys pine cones. But what would Fokas be without Gordon? A nothing, without purpose, without any care. No seeds to eat, no cage to sleep.
Participants: Katerina Kalentzi, Eleni Karakou, Argiris Marinis, Katerina Skordou, Kostas Fekkas, Ziggy Nikolakopoulos, Ara Bogosian, Aggelos Maniatis, Elissavet Eleftheriadou, Sinodi Papu
Guest star: Stefanos Chandelis
Sinodi Papu is an artistic group composed of visual artists, actors and stand-up comedians. It was founded in the first days of 2021 with the aim of exploring contemporary post-digital forms of artistic performance with an emphasis on the poetics of satire, celebrations, mimesis, and masquerade. The team will launch its actions by staging a series of exploratory happenings focusing on the encounter, through physical intimacy and spatial proximity, in the context of post-pandemic reality. The founder of the team is Panos Sklavenitis, the roster is completed by Markella Ksilogiannopoulou, Aimilia Milou, Alexandros Titkov and Tania Varveri, while the main body of Sinodi Papu will be assisted, occasionally, by a wide network of associates.